Dark horses India will take a gander at their amazing outcomes as of late for motivation when they open their AFC Asian Cup football battle against Thailand in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
With the mainland show-stopper occasion being extended to 24 groups out of the blue from the prior 16, the Indian side have a genuine opportunity to make it to the thump out rounds, which will be a first after their sprinters up complete in 1964.
Both in 1984 and 2011, India were thumped out of the competition at the gathering stage. The two best sides from every one of the six gatherings made up of four nations and in addition four third-put groups will progress to the Round of 16.
India, playing in their fourth Asian Cup, are entering the competition on the back of an objective less stalemates against World Cup-winning Italian mentor Marcello Lippi's China and Oman in the number one spot up to the competition. They lost barely (1-2) to Jordan in their third enormous match in front of the Asian Cup.
These outcomes were gone before by a 13-coordinate unbeaten keep running in worldwide amicable matches and the Intercontinental Cup at home the previous summer.
Constantine's players will likewise be quick to enhance the grievous execution of the nation in 2011 version, when it seriously lost all its gathering matches. Sunday's Group A match against Thailand at the Al Nahyan Stadium will be vital for India as a positive outcome will help the Stephen Constantine-trained group's odds of making it to the Round of 16.
In the event that India beat Thailand on Sunday, an attract the staying two matches — against hosts UAE (January 10) and Bahrain (January 14) — could be sufficient for them to fit the bill for the thump out round.
Guarded order will be one of the key elements for India against a Thailand group that scored a great deal of objectives at the ASEAN Football Federation Championship.
India are set 97th in the FIFA outlines contrasted with Thailand's 118, however rankings will scarcely matter in the mainland masterpiece. Truth be told, India are the second most astounding positioned group in the gathering after the UAE. Generally, India and Thailand have played against one another multiple times with the South East Asian country winning on 12 events. India have won multiple times while the staying seven were drawn.
Be that as it may, the opposite sides are pretty much obscure amounts as they have played not very many matches against one another as of late. The last time the opposite sides played against one another was in 2010. Thailand won the two matches - 2-1 and 1-0.
The last time India beat Thailand was route, harking back to the 1986 Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur. On the eve of match, Constantine said that he "can hardly wait for the match to start".
Gotten some information about Thailand losing to Oman a couple of days prior while India drew with the West Asian nation, Constantine stated, "They are distinctive groups with an alternate arrangement of players. Oman were experimenting with various players, as were Thailand."
India will look to their magic striker Sunil Chhetri to get them the objectives, however the ongoing type of his strike accomplice Jeje Lalpekhlua could be a reason for concern. The Mizo, however, has it in him to deliver an amazing execution.
Sandesh Jhingan has initiated the safeguard well and he will match up with Anas Edathodika at the core of the backline. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu has been in best frame as the last protective rampart. Constantine will anticipate his first-decision wingers, Udanta Singh and Halicharan Narzary, to supply enough conveyances forthright for Chhetri and Lalpekhlua.
For Chhetri, this will be his second appearance in the Asian Cup after the 2011 version. He is the main player in this group to have played in the 2011 competition. Goalkeeper Gurpreet was in the 2011 squad however did not play a solitary match.
Then again, Thailand's best outcome in the mainland title came in 1972 when they completed third. From that point forward, they have neglected to defeat the gathering stage jump in all the five events they met all requirements for the last round.
Thailand have come into the competition subsequent to neglecting to shield their AFF Championships title, losing to Malaysia in the elimination rounds however that group did not have four key players who were based abroad.
Be that as it may, head mentor Milovan Rajevac, who guided Ghana to quarterfinals in 2010 World Cup, named all the remote based players for the Asian Cup to reinforce the Thailand group however Belgium based goalkepeer Kawin Thamsatchanan was precluded a week ago because of damage, which may end up being a help for India.
The South East Asian side still have skipper and striker Teerasil Dangda, Theerathon Bunmathan and Chanathip Songkrasin - all employing exchange Japan's best level J League. The 30-year-old Dangda, who presently plays for Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the J-League, is the main enduring part from Thailand's last Asian Cup appearance in 2007 when the nation played host to the competition.
Midfielder Songkrasin is right now a Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo player in the J League while full-back Bunmathan plays for Vissel Kobe on credit. A great deal of voyaging fans — the Blue Pilgrims — have effectively arrived here to cheer for India. A ton of exile Indians are likewise expected to crowd the Al Nahyan Stadium to help their group.
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