Indian football is on the cusp of making history. When the Blue Tigers take on Bahrain in the final Group A match of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, millions of fans will hope for a favourable result.
India started their campaign at the tournament by thrashing Thailand 4-1 but were blanked by the hosts United Arab Emirates to complicate the matter.
And Indian fans will also need to keep an eye on the other Group A match between UAE and Thailand. The outcome from that match is likely to have a bearing on India's fortunes. Both the matches kick off simultaneously. 9:30 PM IST.
Advertisement
Ahead of the match, we look at the scenarios on how Stephen Constantine's boys can make the knock-out stage.
First, let's have a look at the current standings:
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
| 1 | UAE | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| 2 | INDIA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | THAILAND | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 3 |
| 4 | BAHRAIN | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -1 | 1 |
The group is currently balanced on a knife's edge, with all four teams still standing a chance to qualify for the Round of 16.
While hosts UAE lead the proceedings with four points from two games, India and Thailand are close behind with three points each.
The 'Blue Tigers' are ahead of the 'War Elephants' by virtue of a better head-to-head record, while Bahrain lies bottom with one point. But Bahrain can still qualify by beating India.
Advertisement
Scenario 1: India beat Bahrain
A simple win is enough for India to qualify for the knockouts. With six points, India will finish the group engagements as either first or second with leaders United Arab Emirates taking on third-place Thailand in another match. If UAE win, India finish second. If UAE lose, India win the group.
Scenario 2: India lost to Bahrain
That's the worst case scenario for India. Meaning, with three points, India can finish fourth as Bahrain will move to second or third place, depending on the UAE-Thailand result, with four points. India will hope a favourable result from the UAE-Thailand match. If UAE win, then India will finish third and have a slight chance, again depending on their place among the other third-placed teams. If UAE-Thailand match ends in a draw, India are out.
Scenario 3: India and Bahrain Draw
A draw should be enough for India, but the result from the UAE-Thailand will play a role. If UAE beat Thailand, then India finished second with four points.
If Thailand beat UAE, India finish third, behind the hosts on head-to-head. Remember, India lost the UAE 0-2. And that's not good. If UAE and Thailand play out a draw, India finish second, beating Thailand to the spot on head-to-head, thanks to the 4-1 win earlier in the tournament.
The odds are stacked against Sunil Chhetri & Co but a confident head coach Stephen Constantine says his players have it in them to qualify for the next round.
Advertisement
So far, India and Bahrain have faced each other seven times. While Bahrain have won five times, India have just managed a solitary win, with the other match ending in a draw.
In fact, the last time that the two teams squared off was in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar where India lost 2-5.
(With Agency inputs)
