Plenty of focus will rightly be on Sunil Chhetri when India step up to take on Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup Qualifier on Thursday. Chhetri, 39, will retire from international football after the contest at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. Chhetri has been integral to the Indian football for the last 19 years and largely been the face of the team in that period.
For 19 years, Chhetri has carried the hopes of Indian football team , of a nation that has been labelled as the ‘sleeping giant’ of world football.
With 94 goals from 150 appearances, the Indian captain is a bonafide legend of the game. And it will be an evening of high emotions at the venue where his professional football career took shape with Mohun Bagan in early 2000s.
Away from the personal moment and milestone, Chhetri would be keen on bowing out with a win. A parting gift to propel the Blue Tigers into the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers for the very first time.
How have India done in the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers so far?
India coach Igor Stimac says FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kuwait is the biggest "football game of his football and coaching career put together" because he has an opportunity to make 1.4 billion people happy. pic.twitter.com/swDnDjst5P
— Ujwal (@UjwalKS) June 5, 2024
India have played four matches in the second round Group A fixtures - winning one, drawing one and losing two. India started the campaign brightly with a win against Kuwait. But there have been disappointments since.
After the high of Kuwait and low of Qatar came the shocker of losing all matches, without scoring, in the Asian Cup. It has gone from bad to worse in the World Cup qualifiers that have followed.
For two straight games, India have been unable to get the better of Afghanistan which reveals deeper issues for the Indian team. One of them is the inability to finish the few chances that are created. And with Chhetri on the way out, it becomes even more important for Indian football to produce a lethal striker.
Round 2 Group A
Kuwait 0-1 India
India 0-3 Qatar
Afghanistan 0-0 India
India 1-2 Afghanistan
How can India reach the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers?
Better video of Indian men's football team training today in Kolkata ahead of world cup qualifiers against Kuwait pic.twitter.com/HE2bNcgYCA
— Ujwal (@UjwalKS) June 4, 2024
The top two teams from each of the nine groups will go on to the third stage of the World Cup Qualifiers.
The third round will decide FIFA’s increased allocation of eight World Cup berths for Asia.
As things stand, Qatar lead Group A with 12 points, India are second on four points, Afghanistan are third with four points but trail India on goal difference with Kuwait fourth on three points.
There are two matches left for all teams in the group. India have Kuwait and Qatar, Afghanistan face Qatar and Kuwait, Kuwait have India and Afghanistan. Qatar are into the next round already.
A look at the scenarios:
| Group A | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qatar | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 12 |
| India | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 4 |
| Afghanistan | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -10 | 4 |
| Kuwait | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
India beat Kuwait, Afghanistan beat Qatar: Both India and Afghanistan remain on 7 points. It goes down to the sixth game.
India beat Kuwait, Afghanistan lose to Qatar: India build three point advantage over Afghanistan and four points over Kuwait.
India beat Kuwait, Afghanistan draw with Qatar: India lead Afghanistan by two points, Kuwait by four points.
India lose to Kuwait, Afghanistan beat Qatar: In this scenario, India drop to bottom of the table with Afghanistan on seven points and Kuwait on six with India on four.
India lose to Kuwait, Afghanistan lose to Qatar: India will remain third in the group with Kuwait now climbing to second, Afghanistan below India only because of goal difference.
India lose to Kuwait, Afghanistan draw with Qatar: Kuwait are second, Afghanistan third and India fourth. Afghanistan are ahead by a solitary point.
India draw with Kuwait, Afghanistan beat Qatar: India will trail Afghanistan by two points making it a challenge in the sixth and final game.
India draw with Kuwait, Afghanistan lose to Qatar: India will lead Afghanistan and Kuwait by a single point going into the sixth matchday.
India draw with Kuwait, Afghanistan draw with Qatar: Both India and Afghanistan enter the sixth matchday with equal number of points - as is the situation now. Kuwait, meanwhile, will be a point adrift.
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