'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Indian national team will kick off their journey in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers on Wednesday, 8 June when they lock horns against Cambodia. The Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata will host this contest.
India have been clubbed in Group D along with Hong Kong, Afghanistan, and Cambodia. The Blue Tigers will want to start their campaign on a high with a win.
However, Igor Stimac's men enter their clash against the Cambodians having suffered three consecutive defeats in international friendlies. Their final loss came against Jordan last month.
But those were matches against considerably higher-ranked teams and now the Blue Tigers will face a different kind of challenge. They'll enter the qualifiers as they clear favorites in Group D.
How Stimac and the team manage the weight of expectations remains to be seen. If Sunil Chhetri and co. fail to qualify for the continental tournament, there will be very little justification.
Meanwhile, 171st ranked Cambodia have nothing to lose going into this tournament. Hence, they may try to be adventurous in this game and look to cause an unlikely upset.
The Angkor Warriors haven't made it past the Qualifiers since 1972. However, they're coming into the tournament on the back of a 2-1 victory against Timor-Leste in their only match of 2022 ahead of the qualifiers.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers | India vs Cambodia: Key Players
Liston Colaco (India)
This has been an absolute breakthrough season for Liston Colaco. The 23-year-old winger finished the 2021-22 Indian Super League season as the top Indian scorer with eight goals in 22 matches, along with five assists.
The Goa-born also finished the AFC Cup 2022, the second-tier of Asian club competitions, with four goals and two assists, including a hattrick.
If Cambodia sit back and defend, Colaco's trickery and shooting ability from outside the box might just be what India need to unlock the Angkor Warriors.
Sieng Chanthea (Cambodia)
In an otherwise underwhelming forward line, Sieng Chanthea has been the driving force for the Cambodian national side. Chanthea became the youngest goalscorer for the nation after breaking into the national side aged 16.
The 19-year-old has a blistering burst of pace and can play across the frontline, making him a tough contender to mark. The likes of Anwar Ali and Sandesh Jhingan will have a tough time narrowing down those channels with Chanthea on the prowl.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers | India vs Cambodia: Predicted Lineups
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Pritam Kotal, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Akash Mishra; Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Lenny Rodrigues; Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Sunil Chhetri.
Cambodia: Kimhuy Hul (GK); Boris Kok, Tes Sambath, Soeuy Visal (C), Ken Chansopheak; Thierry Bin, Orn Chanpolin, Sos Suhana; Mat Noron, Keo Sokpheng; Sieng Chanthea.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers | India vs Cambodia: Livestream and telecast details
The AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifier match between India and Cambodia will be telecast in India from the Salt Lake Stadium on Star Sports at 8.30 PM IST. The game can also be livestreamed via Disney+ Hotstar or JioTV.
AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers | India vs Cambodia: Head-to-head
The Blue Tigers have an impressive record against the Angkor Warriors. The two teams have played each other on five occasions previously, with India winning on four occasions while Cambodia have recorded just a single victory.
The last time the two sides locked horns was in an international friendly way back in 2017 in which India came away with a 3-2 victory. Khoun Laboravy and Vathanaka Chan scored for Cambodia, while Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua and Sandesh Jhingan netted for the Blue Tigers.
