Indian Football Team on the verge of making history or elimination. On Monday evening India will be playing their biggest match of the Century so far when they face the bottom team of the Group A Bahrain.
Couple years earlier if this match was scheduled not many Indian had that much hope but the performance they have putted against Thailand and UAE Indians are in high hope to make history in middle east. Although they have defeated by UAE in their last match the amount of fight they have shown they could have easily win the match. It is little bit of their misfortune and little bit of their inability to scoring goals and probably the one lapse of concentration in the defense cost them that match.
The team coached by Stephen Constantine has got good combinations working up. The few weak links that remained it the defence at times will surely be sorted. If India can put up a mix of performance from both of their played out fixtures, the Tigers will be playing more at this edition of AFC Asian Cup.
Things haven't been so good for Bahrain relatively. Even after impressive results in the preparatory games for the continental cup, Bahrain hasn't been able to reflect the same with the final touch. In the first match, they shared points with UAE, a result that had more of UAE's dismal performance than Bahrain's hard work.
Later, they lost to Thailand 1-0, against whom India netted 4 times. But, the team under Miroslav Soukup still has chances to advance to the next round, which they wouldn't be giving up easily.
Team News
India
Stephen Constantine is not expected to sacrifice the positions of any players who started against UAE. Though Anas Edathodika and Pritam Kotal were not at their best, the gaffer will not axe them for one costly mistake. Halicharan Narzary was not a bright presence at the left wing and had to be replaced at the half time.
Narzary remains the only player who has any chance of being replaced but still remains an unlikely event. Sunil Chhetri will have important duties to finish the attacks, while the young shoulders of Anirudh Thapa will take up the midfield. Sandesh Jhingan as always will be India's favourite wall at the back.
Bahrain
Bahrain is expected to play with 4 in attack - 3 midfielders and a striker. Ahmed Juma and Sayed Redha Isa will be the wingbacks when Waleed Hayam and Hamad Shamsam takes up the central defence tasks.
Bahrain's two key players will be the two defensive midfielders - Komail Al Aswad and Abdulwahab Safi, who India will have to overcome to take their attacks into the box. The attacking trio behind the striker is Sayed Saeed, Mohamed Marhoon and Sami Al-Husaini. Mohamed Al Romaihi is expected to find the back of the net at the top, as he did against UAE.
Playing XI
India (4-4-2):
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Subhasish Bose, Anas Edathodika, Sandesh Jhingan, Pritam Kotal, Halicharan Narzary, Pronay Halder, Anirudh Thapa, Udanta Singh, Ashique Kuruniyan, Sunil Chhetri
Bahrain (4-2-3-1):
Sayed Shubbar Alawi, Ahmed Juma, Waleed Al Hayam, Hamad Al-Shamsan, Sayed Redha Isa, Komail Al Aswad, Abdulwahab Al-Safi, Sayed Dhiya Saeed, Mohamed Marhoon, Sami Al-Husaini, Mohamed Al Romaihi
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