The Indian men’s football team is gearing up to face the best sides from the continent at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. The tournament began on January 12 and will run until February 10, involving 24 nations.
Igor Stimac’s India, who are ranked 102nd in the world and 18th in Asia, will hope to make an impact in terms of qualifying for the knockout round, but it will be a challenging campaign. Here’s all you need to know about India’s AFC Asian Cup campaign:
Format and matches
The teams have been divided into six groups of four teams. Each team will play the three other teams in their group once, and the top two will make it to the Round of 16. The four best third-placed teams will also make it to the next round.
India’s group and matches
India are placed in Group B along with Australia, Uzbekistan, and Syria.
They open their campaign against the Aussies on January 13 (5 pm IST at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium) followed by matches against the Uzbeks (8 pm IST at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium) and the Syrians on January 23rd (5 pm IST at the Al Bayt Stadium).
What to expect from India?
To keep it short, not a lot. While India’s form improved a notch in 2023 where they won three tournaments at home, beating the likes of Kuwait and Lebanon, the quality of competition at the AFC Asian Cup is a level above that, and India’s group is a tough one to crack. It will be a huge success if they can finish third and progress to the Round of 16. The bigger goal here is to put up a fight against their higher-ranked teams and not crumble under pressure.
India’s key players
The obvious names here are Sunil Chhetri, captain of the team and scorer of 93 international goals. If India are netting a goal in this tournament, it is more or less coming from this man. Then there’s the center-back Sandesh Jhingan and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu. India will have to do a lot of defending in the three matches, and if one of the two is not at his best, India could struggle on the pitch.
Lallianzuala Chhangte has been brilliant for his club and country over the last few years. He played a vital role in India’s titles at home last year. While the Asian Cup is a different level altogether, Stimac would hope that Chhangte maintains his creative spark and also becomes a goal-scoring threat on the counter.
Here are some additional details that you may find interesting:
- This is the first time that India has qualified for the AFC Asian Cup since 2019.
- The last time India won a match at the AFC Asian Cup was in 2011.
- The tournament is being held in Qatar for the first time.
I hope this article gives you a good overview of India’s chances at the AFC Asian Cup. I will be sure to keep you updated on their progress throughout the tournament.
I hope you enjoy watching the AFC Asian Cup!
The competition is fierce, but under Stimac’s guidance and with the unwavering support of the Indian fans, I believe they can surprise everyone. So, let’s roar with the Blue Tigers! Every tackle, every save, every goal is a victory, a testament to their spirit. Let’s cheer them on! Remember, the magic of football lies in defying expectations, and the Blue Tigers are ready to rewrite their history!
