New Delhi, April 1 – After India ended their long wait for a win in Kochi, defeating Hong Kong 2-1 to conclude the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round Group C campaign on a high at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh thanked the fans for their support, saying, "It has been an immense privilege to be supported by such a fantastic crowd."
India concluded their campaign with five points, having won one match, drawn two, and lost three, thereby missing out on qualification for the Asian Cup. Gurpreet believes that despite failing to qualify, finishing the campaign on a winning note was the goal.
"I'm not one for making grand speeches after matches (as you know), but this is a special occasion to thank the fans for helping us achieve our dreams once again. For allowing us to regain the honour of playing on the field, with your support.
"As the Asian Cup qualifiers come to an end, knowing that we won't be progressing still hurts. But at the same time, the importance of finishing strong and returning to winning ways was paramount.
"Kochi, you are truly amazing. Football is the lifeblood of this city, and it has been an immense privilege to be supported by such a fantastic crowd. There are many challenges ahead, but we can overcome them one by one, together," Gurpreet posted on X.
Early goals from debutant Ryan Williams and left-back Akash Mishra in the first and second halves respectively ensured that the Blue Tigers secured their first win of the qualifying campaign in front of a strong crowd of 22,690 in Kochi.
Gurpreet also congratulated Williams for his much-awaited debut, "Huge congratulations to my teammate Ryan on his debut goal, and also to Bijoy for his debut!" he added.