Kolkata: The third round of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers kicks off today. India will take on Cambodia in the first match of Group D today.
The match will be played at Yuba Bharti Krirangan in Kolkata from 8.30 pm. India, which is ranked higher than Cambodia, is not expecting anything less from victory. Cambodia is ranked 171st in the world and India 106th. Afghanistan and Hong Kong are also in Group D. India will play Afghanistan in the next match on November 11 and Hong Kong in the match on the 14th.
Sahal Abdul Samad and Aashiq Kuruniyan have been named in the Indian team led by Sunil Chhetri. Afghanistan is ranked 150th and Hong Kong 147th. Sunil Chhetri is the captain who has scored 80 international goals. The 37-year-old Chhetri is not sure if he can play in the Asian Cup.
The championship will be held in late 2023 or early 2024. Chhetri will complete 126 matches in international football when he takes to the field today. The loss of all three international friendly matches ahead of the qualifying round was a setback for Soutimach. They lost 2-0 to top-ranked Jordan, 2-1 to Bahrain and 3-0 to Belarus. Cambodia last played in the Asian Cup in 1972. Cambodia made great strides under Japanese coach Ryu Hiros. Casey Honda is also there to help.
Striker Rahim Ali has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Chhetri said that although he did not put up a good performance once morest Cambodia, he should have given up on the qualifying round. Rahim Ali has been ruled out with a hamstring injury while replacing JJ Lalpekhula. A.F.C. Ali will be replaced by one of Liston Colosso, Manveer Singh and Udanta Singh, who scored a hat-trick in the cup.
Defensive player Sandesh Jinkan is said to be physically fit. Subhashish Bose’s dim form is a headache for Steemach. Rahul Bheke and chicken pox victim Ritwik Das are sure not to play today. Sauce Suhana is the most experienced member of the 23-member Cambodian team. The presence of young striker Singh Chanti makes Cambodia dangerous. There are 24 teams in the Asian Cup finals. Six group winners and five top runners-up will advance to the finals of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifying Round.
