The Al Duhail forward was in rampant form for the Qataris as he became only the fourth player in Asian Cup history to score four in a single game.
This is India's best-ever FIFA Ranking since April 1996 when India were also ranked 100.
But their inability to close out the game proved costly, allowing Belgium to claw their way back into contention with two goals in five minutes before Nacer Chadli's injury-time winner capped the most thrilling game of the 2018 finals.
The Asian Football Confederation has confirmed Indonesia's immediate ban from all international football, including next week's 2018 World Cup qualifiers, because of government meddling in the country's domestic league.
"The Asian Football Confederation expresses its disappointment and sadness at Wednesday's events in Zurich whilst opposing any delay in the FIFA Presidential elections to take place on Friday May 29 in Zurich," the AFC said in a statement posted on its website (the-afc.com) on Thursday.
The CoA reacted after FIFA threatened to suspend the AIFF and strip off its right to host the women's U-17 World Cup in October due to a third party "influence", a development which came just days after the Supreme Court's directive to hold elections of the national federation.
The AIFF also asked its state units not to allow their players to participate in the 'unauthorised and unofficial Futsal league'.
All India Football Federation president Praful Patel was elected on Saturday as a FIFA Council member. He is the first Indian to make it to the prestigious panel.
Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan kicked off their AFC Cup football campaign with a commanding 5-2 victory over Maziya Sports and Recreation Club of the Maldives in Guwahati on Wednesday.
Designated I-League champions Mohun Bagan have announced a donoation of 20 lakh in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic while Bhaichung Bhutia will feature in Asian Football Confederation's (AFC) public awareness campaign on the COVID-19 pandemic,
India have been clubbed in Group E along with Bangladesh, Uzbekistan and Syria for next year's qualifiers of the Asian Football Confederation Under-23 Championship 2016.
Australia has welcomed the idea of possibly competing at the Asian Games after Asian Olympic officials agreed to let Oceania nations join them in smaller multi-sports events.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday graced Indian football's historic moment when he greeted players of both the teams ahead of India's opening FIFA U-17 World Cup match against USA, in New Delhi.
The victory celebration over, new FIFA president Gianni Infantino's first major decision in charge of the troubled world football organisation will be to appoint a secretary general, effectively a chief executive, to run day-to-day operations.
Southampton confirmed that they had signed 23-year-old Walker-Peters, who spent the second half of last season on loan at the club. British media put the fee at 12 million pounds.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
Acting on the Sports Ministry's directive to send nominations for this year's sports awards, the AIFF did not have much trouble in finalising the names.
US sports television network ESPN has invited the five candidates in FIFA's presidential election to participate in a debate on the future of the crisis-hit governing body for world football.
When Sepp Blatter is not comparing FIFA to a boat in calm or choppy waters he often uses football analogies to illustrate his point so it might amuse him to think he faces a tricky 45 minutes at this month's Congress.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
The world's lowest ranked soccer team, Bhutan, will take on Sri Lanka next month, while sleeping giants India face Nepal in the first qualifying matches for the 2018 World Cup.
According to the roadmap approved in 2019 with the involvement of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and agreed to by the stakeholders, the I-League champion team of this season (2022-23) as well as that of next year (2023-24) was to get a direct slot in the corresponding next season of top-tier ISL.
The committee also handed out a 90-day suspension to FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke, who had already been put on leave by the football body, and banned former FIFA Vice-President Chung Mong-joon for six years and fined him 100,000 Swiss francs (67,021).
AFC Cup tie moved to neutral venue after Australia denies Myanmar club visas
Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel has become the latest big name player to join the Chinese Super League gold rush after leaving Chelsea for Tianjin Teda.
There were a few fissures but no major cracks apparent in FIFA president Sepp Blatter's bedrock of Asia-Pacific support as officials began returning to the region from the annual congress of soccer's world governing body over the weekend.
FIFA presidential candidate Luis Figo will hope to convince delegates at this week's Asian Football Confederation Congress that a vote for him would boost the region's chances of more places in future World Cup finals.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter shrugged off Luis Figo's accusation he had turned world soccer's ruling body into a dictatorship.
Asian football said it was looking forward to working with new FIFA President Gianni Infantino, despite the region's two candidates losing out to the Swiss in Friday's election, and called for unity to help push the reform process forward.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
UEFA head Michel Platini announced on Wednesday his intention to stand for presidency of FIFA in place of Sepp Blatter.
Mohammedan Sporting have opted against playing in the second division of the I-League and also pulled out of the Durand Cup football tournament, beginning October 28, apparently due to financial crisis.
The Indian Super League may be held either in Goa or Kerala while Kolkata is set to host all the I-League matches with likely kick-off in November, as the All India Football Federation (AIFF) seeks to stage both the competitions in a single city in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
India will be up against UAE, Saudi Arabia and Iran in the group stages of AFC U-16 Championship as the draw for the event, which will act as a dress rehearsal for next year's FIFA U-17 World Cup, was held amid much fanfare in Panaji, Goa on Thursday. The tournament begins on September 15 and matches will be held at Fatorda and Bambolim Stadium in Goa. The final is slated to be played on October 2. The top two teams from each groups will qualify for the quarter-finals. In case India, who are in Group A, advance to the semi-finals, the winner of play-off 3 will also qualify for FIFA U-17 World Cup. Conducted by Shin Mangil, Director of Competitions, Asian Football Confederation, the ceremony was attended by Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, Secretary of All India Football Federation Kushal Das and U-17 World Cup Tournament Director Javier Ceppi among others. The 16 participating teams were divided into four groups.
The Swiss is out of sight as FIFA corruption scandal deepens
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Iraq beat Iran 4-3 via penalty shootout to win their maiden Asian Football Confederation U-16 Championships title at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao on Sunday.
FIFA's disciplinary committee has banned Worawi Makudi, former president of the Football Association of Thailand and a former member of the FIFA Executive Committee, for three months for failing to comply with an earlier suspension, FIFA said.
Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri on Monday urged the entire nation to root for his club Bengaluru FC as they chase a historic final berth in the AFC Cup in Bengaluru on Wednesday. Bengaluru FC, the I-League football champions will host Malaysia's Johor Darul Ta'zim FC -- in a crucial Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup second-leg semi-final. The first-leg semifinal ended in a 1-1 draw.
