All issues thought of – lack of time to arrange, no GPS vests, accidents to key gamers, being within the hardest group of the Asian Cup – India’s slide to 117 within the FIFA rankings, their worst in seven years, was disappointing however not stunning.
India misplaced 0-2 to Australia, 0-3 to Uzbekistan and 0-1 to Syria to complete on the backside of their group within the Asian Cup which ended final week with hosts Qatar retaining the title and redeeming their repute after a disastrous World Cup. That efficiency took Qatar up 21 slots and into the highest 50 of the world rankings for the primary time. Surprise runners-up Jordan climbed 17 slots to be seventieth on this planet forward of Northern Ireland, Bulgaria and Iceland within the yr’s first rankings checklist launched on Thursday.
Like with China (right down to 88 from 79) and Vietnam (105 from 94), quarter-finalists within the final two editions however eradicated within the first spherical in Doha final month, India’s slide was steep. For perspective, take into account this: India completed on the backside of their group in 2019 and had not certified for the 2015 finals.
With IM Vijayan, the chair of technical committee of the All India Football Federation (AIFF), telling head coach Igor Stimac that “that the results in Qatar are now a matter of the past. Our main focus should be on the matches ahead, in the March and June FIFA windows…,” consideration has shifted to the World Cup qualifiers.
If India end among the many high two within the group which additionally has Afghanistan and Kuwait, they are going to make the third spherical of the qualifiers for the primary time. Beating Kuwait away 1-0 provides India likelihood of doing that. A 3rd spherical berth will even seal qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
“Whatever happens in March window (sic), our game against Kuwait is the most important,” Stimac advised the technical committee on February 10, as per minutes of that assembly. India play Afghanistan away on March 21, probably in Saudi Arabia, and host them in Guwahati on March 26. The subsequent set of video games are Kuwait at dwelling (June 6) and Qatar away (June 11).
At the assembly Stimac mentioned that he “will kindly request you as TC members to influence everyone” that the house recreation towards Kuwait is held “at a venue where a big crowd can push us to victory.”
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey mentioned on Friday that Hyderabad, a centre in Maharashtra and Kolkata have expressed curiosity to host the sport towards Kuwait. “In the matter of the national team, the suggestion of the head coach…is supreme. The respective departments of the AIFF entrusted with taking the decision will do that by discussing with all the stakeholders,” mentioned Chaubey over the telephone from Jabalpur.
Of the venues out there, at a capability of practically 67,000 Salt Lake stadium can maintain essentially the most. “We also have world class infrastructure having hosted the men’s FIFA under-17 World Cup,” mentioned Anirban Dutta, common secretary of the Indian Football Association (IFA), which runs the game in Bengal. “And football is religion in Bengal so India can be assured of support from the 12th player.”
India haven’t performed in Kolkata because the Asian Cup qualifiers in June 2022. There have been over 40,000 individuals in every of the three video games in group D which ended with India beating Hong Kong 4-0. When India performed Bangladesh in 2019, the turnout was 61,486. The crowd in Kolkata could make a distinction, mentioned a technical committee member and former worldwide who had a profitable profession right here.
Source web site: www.hindustantimes.com
