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Feelings will run excessive when the talismanic Sunil Chhetri leads India out one final time in an important FIFA World Cup qualifying match in opposition to Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6, hoping to propel his workforce into the following spherical as a parting present after dominating the nationwide soccer panorama for 19 years.
The 39-year-old Chhetri will grasp his boots on the finish of this match and wish to be certain that the workforce enters the final-18 stage of the World Cup qualifiers for the primary time.
The highest two groups from 9 teams of 4 groups every will go on to make the third stage. This spherical will determine FIFA’s elevated allocation of eight World Cup berths for Asia.
It is going to be a bit far-fetched to think about India within the 2026 World Cup in North America, however a win over Kuwait will take the workforce into the unchartered territory of being up in opposition to the perfect of Asia in at the least 10 matches. That may additionally translate into some high quality pleasant video games.
Occupying the second spot behind Qatar (12 factors) in Group A with 4 factors from 4 video games, India are forward of Afghanistan on aim distinction and Kuwait, who’ve three factors.
A victory will put India firmly forward of Afghanistan, who face Qatar in a troublesome fixture in a while June 6.
Afghanistan have a seven-goal deficit in opposition to India and a win in opposition to Kuwait will just about preserve the equation out of their attain.
India face Qatar, whereas Afghanistan tackle Kuwait within the last spherical fixtures on June 4.
For 19 years, Chhetri has carried the footballing hopes of a nation labelled because the ‘sleeping large’ of world soccer.
With 94 objectives from 150 appearances and a dozen trophies in his cupboard, the diminutive Indian captain is a bonafide legend of the sport. And it will likely be a night of excessive feelings on the venue the place his skilled soccer profession took form with Mohun Bagan in early 2000s.
A packed crowd is predicted on the Salt Lake Stadium to rejoice Chhetri’s final dance.
Chhetri has blissful reminiscences in opposition to Kuwait, having performed a key position within the equaliser by Sahal Abdul Samad that compelled a penalty shootout and ultimately a 5-4 triumph for India within the 2023 SAFF Championship in Bengaluru.
That India had defeated Kuwait by a solitary aim from Manvir Singh of their group league opener within the away fixture in November final yr may also be a morale-booster for Igor Stimac’s facet, who then suffered a slip-up by taking place to Qatar 0-3.
Then got here the Asian Cup shock the place the workforce drew a clean, shedding all its three matches and failing to attain even a single aim.
It went from dangerous to worse for India, who resumed their World Cup qualifiers in opposition to Afghanistan, and failed to attain in a goalless draw.
Extra distress was in retailer of their house match in Guwahati the place the Blue Tigers suffered a 1-2 defeat, conceding a late aim to the South Asian neighbours.
The struggles in opposition to Afghanistan reveal deeper points plaguing the nationwide workforce.
Regardless of creating alternatives, India’s incapability to complete essential probabilities might be a major concern.
The shortcoming was fairly pronounced in opposition to Afghanistan because the workforce managed only one shot on course in comparison with Afghanistan’s 5 of their shock 1-2 defeat in Guwahati. Midfielders Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte additionally didn’t make an impression, exacerbating the issue. Their lack of creativity and precision, made worse by ineffective ball management and passing, contributed to India’s distress.
In between the sticks, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who at 71 matches is the following most skilled after Chhetri, may also must step up. His penalty concession because of a communication failure resulted in Afghanistan scoring the winner in March.
However India might be coming in with strong preparation for this match.
They’ve made some fascinating additions in I-League forwards Edmund Lalrindika (Inter Kashi) and David Lalhlansanga (Mohammedan Sporting) who might be aiming to develop into the primary gamers in 5 years to make nationwide debuts from the second tier league.
The defence, nonetheless, should deal with the absence of Sandesh Jhingan who has been sidelined because of an damage from the Asian Cup in January.
It stays to be seen if the likes of Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali and Subhasish Bose will be capable to compensate for his absence, particularly the aerial energy he has offered through the years.
Focus may also be on Lallianzuala Chhangte, who had a robust 2023-24 ISL season, scoring 10 objectives and offering six assists for Mumbai Metropolis FC.
He’ll look to hold this manner in opposition to Kuwait, who can have the firepower of Hassan Al-Enezi within the protection.
Kuwait are coming to the sport after routing Afghanistan 4-0 with their key ahead duo of Shabaib Al Khaldi and Mohammed Daham scoring three objectives between them. The duo will as soon as once more be a giant risk to the Indians.
Kuwait may also have Mohsen Ghareeb who carried out nicely of their earlier encounter, might be tasked with stopping Chhangte if he begins within the left-back place.
Squads:
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Nikhil Poojary, Subhasish Bose, Anwar Ali, Jay Gupta; Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa; Naorem Mahesh Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Lallianzuala Chhangte; Sunil Chhetri.
Kuwait: Sulaiman Abdulghafour (GK); Rashed Al-Dosary, Khalid El Ebrahim, Hassan Al-Enezi, Salman Bormeya; Eid Al-Rasheedi; Hamad Al-Harbi, Faisal Zayed, Azbi Shehab, Mohammad Daham; Yousef Nasser.
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
