It’s going to be an emotional evening in Kolkata on Thursday when India host Kuwait in their penultimate game of the FIFA World Cup Round 2 Qualifiers, as Sunil Chhetri plays his final international match for the Blue Tigers. India have endured a somewhat mixed outing in the World Cup Qualifiers so far. The Igor Stimac-coached side are in second place with four points from four games, and are winless since their 1-0 win over Kuwait in November last year.
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Since then, they have suffered two defeats apart from a 0-0 draw against Afghanistan in Saudi Arabia in March. India’s latest defeat came against the same opponents in Guwahati later n March, which ended 1-2.
Even if India manage to beat Kuwait and Qatar (11 June), they would need other results to go in their favour despite the points tally taking them to 10. Qatar (12 points) top Group A, with India (4) in second. Afghanistan (4) are third with Kuwat (3) in fourth place. It’s crucial that the hosts don’t slip up in this game, as dropping even two points would prove costly.
The Blue Tigers will hope for a better all-round outing against Kuwait. In their 1-2 loss to Afghanistan, India managed to take just one shot on target, whereas Afghanistan managed five of those. Midfielder Anirudh Thapa and Lallianzuala Chhangte will have to come good, especially given the fact that the duo had lacked creativity in the Afghanistan game, which was one of the reasons for India’s loss.
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India’s defence line will continue to miss Sandesh Khingan, who has been sidelined with an injury since the AFC Asian Cup in January. It will also be testing times for Rahul Bheke, Subhasish Bose and Anwar Ali.
More than anything, India will hope to provide Sunil Chhetri with a fitting farewell, and would hope for nothing less than a win against Kuwait.
Here’s all you need to know ahead of the India vs Kuwait game as far as live streaming is concerned:
When will the India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers take place?
The India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match will take place on 6 June, 2024 (Thursday).
Where will the India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers take place?
The India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match will take place at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.
What time will the India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match begin?
The India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match will begin at 7 pm IST.
Where can I watch the India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match?
The India vs Kuwait FIFA World Cup Qualifiers match will be broadcast on Sports18 1 (Both SD and HD) channels, along with Sports18 3 (SD). Fans can also stream the match live on the JioCinema app and website.