India Eye 3 Points in FIFA World Cup Qualifier Against Weakening Afghanistan
Igor Stimac’s side will hope to do well in the second round and enter their maiden third round in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
image for illustrative purpose
The Indian football team will run into an Afghanistan hurdle in their quest to make their maiden third-round appearance in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. With one win from two matches, India are second in the Group A pecking order.
The Asian champions Qatar lead the standings having won both their matches, with Kuwait joining India, ranked 117, in second place. Afghanistan, ranked 158, is last in Group A after losing both of their matches.
The match will also mark the return of Jeakson Singh and Anwar Ali, vital cogs in India’s wheel, after long injury lay-offs. The inclusion of both Singh and Ali in the midfield and centre-back positions strengthens the Indian line-up.
Jeakson has been one of the go-to players in the midfield for the Indian team, and his performances in the last couple of years have been impressive. His impressive form in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers and the King's Cup in Thailand last September has made him a certainty in the starting XI. However, an injury put brakes on his speeding career, but with his rehabilitation complete, Jeakson would be raring to go and continue from where he had left off.
Indian captain Sunil Chhetri also has an impressive record against Afghanistan. The talisman has scored four goals in eight matches so far, with a goal arising out of a free kick in Kolkata in 2022 being the best of all.
The absence of key Afghanistan players compound the 158-ranked team, with many players accusing the Afghanistan Football Federation of corruption and match-fixing. As many as 18 players from the Afghanistan squad are currently boycotting the federation, but with players like Zohib Islam Amiri, Omid Musawi, and Balal Arezou, the Afghanistan line-up will look to cause some problems for Sunil Chetteri’s side.
The Indian team is also in good shape after winning 1-0 against Kuwait before going down to 0-3 against Qatar in Bhubaneshwar.
Facing a depleted Afghanistan side, India would look to muzzle up the advantage and hope to bag three points and do an encore against Kuwait when the teams meet in June and hope to finish second in the standings. Qatar is expected to finish at the top of Group A.
