A winless India desperately want a constructive consequence towards neighbors Bangladesh of their mixed World Cup and Asian Cup qualifiers right here on Monday in the event that they need to keep away from the infamy of enjoying within the qualifying play-off rounds of the continental showpiece.
India is already out of the race for a spot within the World Cup however remains to be within the race for a spot within the 2023 Asian Cup.
But with simply three factors from six matches, India are fourth in Group E and are but to ensure an automated berth within the third spherical of the Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Only the most effective 4 fourth-place finishers in every of the eight teams qualify straight for the third spherical of the Asian Cup Qualifiers.
The different 4 fourth-place finishers and all bottom-placed finishers within the eight teams will advance to the play-off spherical, with eight re-entering the qualifying course of.
Six of the fourth-placed groups presently have extra factors than India. This would imply that Igor Stimac’s males must beat Bangladesh to have any likelihood of an automated berth within the third qualifying spherical of the Asian Cup.
Monday’s win can be India’s first win in six years in a World Cup qualifier. The final win for India got here in a 1–0 consequence towards Guam in a 2018 World Cup qualifying spherical match in Bangalore in November 2015.
Thursday’s 0-1 loss to Asian champions Qatar wouldn’t have disenchanted Stimac’s staff a lot as they performed with 10 males from the 18th minute onwards.
The present might have regained among the misplaced confidence towards Qatar after they misplaced 0-6 towards the United Arab Emirates in a global pleasant in March.
Historically additionally ranked one hundred and fifth India is main over Bangladesh (184th). India had defeated Bangladesh twice within the World Cup qualifying spherical, though the victory was recorded in 1985 (2–1 end in each two-legged matches).
“We still haven’t opened our account in Doha. We need to focus (against Bangladesh) and then next (against Afghanistan),” mentioned senior defender Sandesh Jhingan, who took the captain’s armband within the second half of the Qatar match from Sunil Chhetri, who performed solely the primary 45 minutes .
But India can’t be complacent as Bangladesh might be a tricky opponent as they confirmed within the first leg of this qualifier in Kolkata in 2019 the place they took an early lead. Defender Adil Khan’s 88th-minute header helped India draw that match in entrance of an enormous crowd on the Salt Lake Stadium.
At the underside of the group with two factors, Bangladesh are coming into Monday’s match after a 1-1 draw towards Afghanistan they usually too can be desperately in search of a win.
Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan, who performed for Mohammedan Sporting within the I-League, mentioned that this match can be very powerful.
“Last time in Kolkata, we had been disenchanted to not get three factors as India scored very late within the recreation. We have that starvation in us and we all know we are able to do some harm.”
Monday’s match towards Bangladesh will even be essential for Stimac as he would additionally prefer to open his account on this World Cup qualifier.
The former Croatian World Cup participant is all set to make a mark in an in any other case disappointing marketing campaign towards Bangladesh and towards Afghanistan on June 15.
indian squad
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Dheeraj Singh, Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Narender Gehlot, Chinglensana Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Adil Khan, Akash Mishra, Subhashish Bose, Udanta Singh, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Rowllin Borges, Glan Martins, Pronoy Halder, Suresh Singh, Lalengmawia Ralte, Abdul Sahal, Yasir Mohammad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Bipin Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, Ishan Pandita, Sunil Chhetri, Manvir Singh.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
