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Xtra Time Web Desk: The Blue Tigers were saved from an embarrassment by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on Thursday during the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers game against Qatar. Had Gurpreet not stood tall beneath the bars, Igor Simac’s boys wouldn’t have left the stadium with heads held high. The Indian players showed tremendous grit and determination before bowing down to Asian champions Qatar 0-1 with 10 men.

The best moment though arrived just after the referee blew the final whistle. Both teams were heading towards their own dressing rooms, until when Qatar’s world class wing-back Abdelkarim Hassan came up to Gurpreet and patted him. What followed in the next one minute was mark of appreciation and respect for each other.  

“You should be playing in the Premier League – you are good enough. What are you doing here?” Abdelkarim, who had been foiled time and again by Gurpreet during the match, rhetorically asked. There were smiles all around.
But it came with a warning. “The next time we play again, I will score past you,” he quipped.
“I will do my job,” Gurpreet smiled back.
“Great job man. You are too good,” Abdelkarim waved, and made his way to his dressing room.

Here is the clip from that interaction between Gurpreet and Abdelkarim.

Gurpreet too couldn’t believed what happened as he kept murmuring, “I have had good outings. But I’ve never had an opposition team player come to me and say that I am good enough to play in a big league. That’s a huge compliment.”
 

Rival coach Felix Sanchez too shared his appreciation for the Indian goalkeeper.

According to Sanchez, “I didn’t count the number of saves. But I feel it was more than the last time. We played with 10-men for most part of the match. But we had our chances too,” Gurpreet opined. “Against such quality opposition like Qatar such chances come very rare. We need to take them.”