GUWAHATI, June 6:
Sitting in an advantageous position, an upbeat Indian football team will take a shot at qualification to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup when it hosts Laos in the second-leg play-off match here tomorrow.
India emerged victorious in the first-leg in Vientiane 1-0, riding on striker Jeje Lalpekhlua’s winner to hand the team an upper hand going into the the upcoming game at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Sarusajai.
India had won just one match in eight outings in the joint 2019 Asian Cup and 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and that has left them to feature in these play-off matches to earn the right to play in the qualifying round of the continent’s flagship football tournament.
Last week’s win was a relief for Englishman Stephen Constantine, whose future has been under the scanner after a series of poor shows by the national team under his charge.
India, ranked 163rd in the FIFA charts, dominated throughout the match in Vientiane and did most of the attacking against the 174th ranked side who had to defend their citadel for most part and rely on occasional counter attacks.
Despite missing as many as six starting members due to injuries, India were not only able to secure the win but also went on to break the jinx of not having scripted an away win in a qualifier since 2001.
Mohun Bagan forward Jeje Lalpekhlua would look to continue his rich vein of form.
Tomorrow, India will hope to count on home advantage and with the Northeast being a football loving region, the team will hope that thousands will throng the stadium to support the national team.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri will be the man to watch out for upfront. The attention will also be on home boy midfielder Holicharan Narzary.
The Indian team had their first practice session yesterday evening under the lights after their arrival from Vientiane.
India may have an edge going into the match, but they will have to guard against complacency. They had nemerous chances to score, but could find the net only once. They will have to be clinical in their approach tomorrow.
There’s an influx of youngsters in the new-look Indian side at the moment, and Constantine would look upto them to deliver the goods in front of what is expected to be a sold-out crowd.
India were lucky to have come out unscathed as Laos wasted a golden chance to equalise in the third minute of the injury time. (PTI)
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