Blue Tigers leave for Saudi Arabia to play against Afghanistan in WCQ
Goa: A 25-member Indian Senior Men’s Team embarked on a journey to Abha, Saudi Arabia, on Friday, March 15, 2024, for the upcoming away tie against Afghanistan in the Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualification.
Head coach Igor Stimac expressed confidence in the team's prospects ahead of the crucial matches against Afghanistan. He emphasized the importance of securing points to progress to the next phase of the qualifiers.
"Afghanistan did everything to make it difficult for us, which was expected. Choosing Abha as their home venue at 2,270 meters altitude was a clever decision," noted Stimac. "Playing there requires great endurance. Whatever the case may be, we are going there with a clear mindset, and we’re looking for the points."
Stimac highlighted the determination of the players and their shared aspiration to advance to Round 3 of the qualifiers. "They all have the same dream, so we don’t need to inject any motivation into them. We have never made it to Round 3 before, and if we do that, it will then give them new dreams, to qualify for the World Cup in the future," he added.
The Indian team, currently tied on three points with Kuwait in Group A, aims to bounce back from their recent loss against Qatar and build on their victory against Kuwait in the opening match. The squad features experienced players like Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, alongside promising talents such as Liston Colaco and Sahal Abdul Samad.
Indian Senior Men’s Team Squad:
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Vishal Kaith.
Defenders: Akash Mishra, Mehtab Singh, Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Poojary, Subhasish Bose, Anwar Ali, Amey Ranawade, Jay Gupta.
Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Imran Khan.
Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Vikram Partap Singh.
The Blue Tigers will face Afghanistan in their away match on March 21, 2024, in Abha, followed by a home fixture at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on March 26, 2024.
