India’s friendly football match once morest Bahrain will be played at 7 pm today at the Muharraq Club Stadium in Arad, Bahrain. The two-day friendly is being held in Bahrain as part of preparations for the third round of qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup in June. The Indian team, which arrived in Bahrain yesterday, is in the final stages of training as part of preparations for the match. Head coach Igor Stima and 18 members of the team, including Malayalee player VP Zuhair, arrived in Bahrain from Mumbai yesterday evening.
Seven members of the 25-member team were unable to join the team yesterday due to visa barriers. Coach Igor Stemack said he hoped the obstacles would be overcome and they would be able to join the Indian team soon. Bahrain is ahead of India in the FIFA rankings. If India wins this match, it is hoped that they will be able to move up in the FIFA rankings.
Despite not having a good record once morest Bahrain, the Indian team led by head coach Igor Stimak has arrived in Bahrain with high hopes. India wants to change the bad name that it has not been able to beat Bahrain so far.
India lost to Bahrain 0-1 in the AFC Cup on January 14, 2019. Bahrain’s goal in extra time ended India’s hopes of reaching the knockout round. India will enter the match today with the aim of making amends for the defeat. Before that, the two teams had met five times, with Bahrain winning all four. One match ended in a draw. India beat Nepal 3-1 in the SAFF Cup final in October last year to clinch the title. Coach Igor Stemak said the Indian team will have a tough fight in the match.
VP Zuhair is the only Keralite to feature in the ISL once morest North East United. Other newcomers to the squad are Kerala Blasters players Prabhukhan Gill, Hompiam Ruiva, Roshan Singh of Bangalore FC, Danish Farooq, Aniket Jadhav of Hyderabad FC and Anwar Ali of FC Goa. Sunil Chetri has not been included in the squad due to injury.
India, ranked 104th, will be looking to put up a good fight once morest Bahrain, ranked 89th in the FIFA World Rankings. India’s next friendly is on March 26 once morest Belarus. Admission is free for spectators to watch the friendly match in Bahrain.
