India are set to take kick off their preparation for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers today as they take on Cambodia at Phnom Penh, a week ahead of their group stage clash against Myanmar. The Blue Tigers, who have been on a roll recently will take on a side that has struggled in the recent past to get anything going their way. Currently ranked 41 places below the visitors, the Kouprey Blue will look to give their opponents a stern test.
A few hours ahead of the game, we look at some of the numbers heading into the game.
0 – India has four new faces in the squad who have are yet to be capped internationally. Anas Edathodika, Nishu Kumar, Jerry Lalrinzuala and Milan Singh have all proved themselves to be worthy of being called up. Can they now step up their game at the international stage?
1 – This will be Cambodia’s first game under their new Brazilian coach Leonardo Vitorino who took over recently from Lee Tae-Hoon.
1 – Cambodia have qualified only once for the Asian Cup back in 1974. The tournament saw them finish fourth amongst six teams that participated in the competition.
2 – India will be looking for only their 2nd win away from home against an ASEAN opponent in the last 10 years.
4 – India are on a four-game winning streak. Their last one came against Puerto Rico, whom they hammered 4-1 in Mumbai last year. Narayan Das, Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Jackichand Singh were on the scoresheet in that game. Their previous wins came against Bhutan in an international friendly and against Laos (both home and away) in the previous round of the AFC Asian Cup qualification.
5 – The home team have lost five games on the trot. The last of them was an embarrassing 2-7 defeat against Saudi Arabia in January earlier this year.
6 – India pumped in six goals past the Cambodians the last time the two teams as they pummelled to a 6-0 win in 2007 in the Nehru Cup. Sunil Chhetri and Steven Dias marked the occasion with a brace each. While NP Pradeep and Bhaichung Bhutia was on the mark as well.
8 – The Kouprey Blues qualified for the 2016 AFF Suzuki Cup (their regional ASEAN competition) after a gap of eight years. However, they failed to make it out of the group stage which saw them losing all three of their games. Cambodia has, in fact, never progressed from the group stages in ASEAN Cup competition history.
9 – India have won nine of their last eleven games and going into their vital game against Myanmar, they will be looking to continue their purple patch this season.
12 – India’s last loss at the international stage came 12 months back when the Blue Tigers went down 1-2 to Turkmenistan a World Cup qualification game. Sandesh Jhingan had given India the lead in the game in the 27th minute. However, the hosts were unable to hold on as two goals in the second half put an ended to a horrific World Cup qualification campaign.
14 - India have only lost once to Cambodia at the international stage in four games against them; winning the rest of the three games. The Blue Tigers have, in fact, been able to find the net 14 times in these game, conceding just thrice.
26 – India coach Stephen Constantine has given debuts to as much as 26 players during his time as the coach of the Indian team. Do not be surprised if that number goes up further with four uncapped players in the squad.
41 – India are 41 places better off their opponents. While the Blue Tigers are ranked 132nd in the FIFA world rankings, their South East Asian opponents are currently 173rd.
