India take on Singapore in a tricky AFC Asian Cup qualifier match
Chhetri has returned to the team after he was rested for the CAFA Nations Cup
Any slip-up could jeopardise India's chances of making it to the main tournament in 2027
The build-up marred by several players missing the first half of the national camp, the Indian football team faces a tricky Singapore in a crucial AFC Asian Cup qualifying third round match on Thursday.
Though the talisman Sunil Chhetri has returned to the team after he was rested for the CAFA Nations Cup in August-September, Khalid Jamil's side have trained together for barely a week for such an important match.
India are in the bottom of four-team Group C after having garnered a single point from their first two matches against Bangladesh (0-0) and Hong Kong (0-1). Singapore, on the other hand, are currently at the top of the group with four points from their two games.
Any slip-up on Thursday could jeopardise India's chances of making it to the main tournament in 2027, for which only the group winners will make the cut.
Jamil had named 30 players for the national camp in Bengaluru which began on September 20 but 14 of them, including Chhetri, were not released by the clubs.
Later, most of the players joined the camp towards the end of September, meaning they were with the team for barely a week before their departure on Monday.
A helpless Jamil, who had just two defenders attending the camp in the first half, had urged the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and clubs to find a solution on the age old impasse.
Veteran defender Sandesh Jhingan making it to the final squad of 23 after recovering from a surgery due to cheek bone fracture during the CAFA Nations Cup last month was a good news for India who are ranked at 134th as against 158th of Singapore.
There is nothing much to separate between the two sides as far as head-to-head record is concerned. India have won 12 matches as against Singapore's 11, while four games ended in draws. The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw, with Ashique Kuruniyan cancelling out Ikhsan Fandi's strike in 2022.
At home, though, Singapore have the upper hand with eight wins against India's six, with one match being drawn. The last time the two sides squared off in Singapore, the Lions came out on top, winning 2-0 in an international friendly in 2012.
Both the head coaches are relatively new to their jobs. Singapore coach Gavin Lee was appointed in interim capacity in June and is yet to win a match, having drawn against Myanmar (1-1), and lost to Malaysia (1-2) last month.
Singapore, however, will be buoyed by the return of captain and defender Hariss Harun, who was injured for the friendlies against Malaysia and Myanmar in September.
Singapore also boast of some players who are plying their trade in overseas leagues. The most notable among them is forward Ikhsan Fandi, who has 21 international goals to his name from 41 caps. The 26-year-old plies his trade for Ratchaburi FC in the Thai League 1.
Another overseas player, 19-year-old Jonan Tan plays for Vizela FC in the U23 national league of Portugal. He has earned his maiden Lions' call-up.
Jamil, on the other hand, had begun his stint on a positive note after his appointment in August. He guided the side without Chhetri to a third-place finish at the CAFA Nations Cup in Tajikistan.
India beat Tajikistan, lost to Iran and drew with Afghanistan in the group stage, and beat Oman on penalty shootout in third-place play-off.
India head coach Jamil has made 10 changes from the CAFA Nations Cup squad with the likes of Brandon Fernandes, Sahal Abdul Samad, Farukh Choudhary and Liston Colaco coming in, besides Chhetri.
Jamil highlighted the importance of taking the remaining matches of the qualifiers one at a time.
"We are not looking at the overall picture at the moment. There are still four matches to go, and the next one against Singapore is the most important for us right now," he said.
"We cannot look too far ahead - we must go one step at a time." After Thursday's away match, India again face Singapore on October 14 in Margao, Goa in the return leg.
Indian Squad:
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurmeet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Defenders: Anwar Ali, Hmingthanmawia Ralte, Muhammed Uvais, Pramveer, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan.
Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Danish Farooq Bhat, Deepak Tangri, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Nikhil Prabhu, Sahal Abdul Samad, Udanta Singh Kumam.
Forwards: Farukh Choudhary, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh.
Match starts: 5pm
