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India locks horn with Asian giants, Qatar in the second game of their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Tuesday evening.
The visitors are coming off a gut-wrenching defeat at the hands of Oman. They led for the majority of the game yet let that advantage slip in the final quarter of an hour.
The game was a clear depiction of India's major shortcoming: a lack of fitness in the final 15 minutes. The manager, Igor Stimac would want to urgently resolve the issue before facing Qatar. The substitutions made in the previous fixture too did not have a huge impact on the game.
The Blue Tigers will have to work hard defensively against Qatar. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's workload will have to be reduced by the back-four. The defenders should be vigilant not to lose their defensive shape, especially in the dying minutes.
The side, including the midfielders, committed the mistake of withdrawing deep into their own half. If the team works as a unit with minimal mistakes, goals would not be far for Chhetri's boys.
Qatar enjoyed a magnificent victory in their first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, thrashing Afghanistan by six goals. The team has a strategy of playing with pace and getting into the opposition box. With a mixture of experience and youth, Qatar has evolved into Asia's strongest team.
The side, under Spanish manager Felix Sanchez Bas, won the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year, conceding only a single goal throughout the tournament. Qatar are currently ranked 62nd in the FIFA rankings.
Being the hosts, they have already qualified for the 2022 World Cup and should they win this group or be among the four best runners-up, their spot will go to the fifth-best runners-up.
India vs Qatar: Match Information
Date: 10th September 2019
Kickoff: 10:00 PM IST
Live Stream: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Venue: Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha
India vs Qatar: Team News
India
There are no major changes expected in the starting lineup against Qatar. Sahal Abdul Samad and Anas Edathodika are the only two possible changes. Still, Stimac might not want to hinder the balance of the squad.
Qatar
Qatar might not alter the lineup that thrashed Afghanistan. Saad Al Sheeb, Qatar's experienced custodian will continue in goal. Abdelkarim Hassan will be a threat on the flanks for India while Karim Boudiaf will be a rock at the back for Qatar. All of the Asian Champions' attacks will revolve around Hassan Al-Haydos and Almoez Ali.
India vs Qatar: Probable Lineups
India (4-4-2): Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan, Adil Khan, Subhasish Bose, Udanta Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Rowllin Borges, Brandon Fernandes, Sunil Chhetri, Ashique Kuruniyan
Qatar (4-3-2-1): Saad Al Sheeb, Pedro Miguel Carvalho, Tarek Salman, Boualem Khoukhi, Abdelkarim Hassan, Assim Madibo, Kariam Boudiaf, Akram Afif, Yusuf Abdurisag, Hassan Al-Haydos, Almoez Ali
India vs Qatar: Form Guide
India: L-D-L-L-W
Qatar: W-L-L-D-L
India vs Qatar: Head-to-Head
India: 0
Qatar: 5
Draw: 2
India vs Qatar: Key Players
India
India will once again have Sunil Chhetri playing the poacher's role. The skipper scored his 72nd international goal against Oman and will be the target man against a better-ranked Qatar. Chhetri's experience will also play a crucial role against the hosts.
Anirudh Thapa will have additional duties in the midfield. The midfielder will be responsible for feeding the wingers with quality passes and through balls. With India enjoying good pace on the flanks, Thapa's overhead balls will be put into use regularly.
Qatar
Qatar's most important man on the team-sheet would be striker, Almoez Ali. He has been in excellent form recently and scored a hat-trick against Afghanistan. Ali is a clever finisher and a strong presence inside the box during set-piece situations. India's centre-backs should also be wary of his runs behind the defence line. The 23-year old has scored 23 goals in 44 matches for Qatar.
India vs Qatar: Predictions
Qatar is, undoubtedly, a mammoth hurdle for India. However, the Blue Tigers cannot be completely written out of the contest. If the team can improve their shots on goal and rectify the minute errors that cost them the previous game, India stands a chance of upsetting their fancied rivals.
However, having said that, Qatar are still favourites to clinch the game.
Predicted Score - India 0:2 Qatar
