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The Indian men’s football team is back in action after a two-month hiatus, with Odisha set to host the 2023 Hero Intercontinental Cup. The Blue Tigers will square off against Mongolia in their opening encounter at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Friday, June 9.
Lebanon and Vanuatu are also participating in the tournament and face each other early on Friday at the same venue.
India’s success against Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic in March was a much-needed boost for head coach Igor Stimac. As defending champions, the onus is certainly on the hosts to keep their momentum going and start the competition strong.
Following the victories in the Hero Tri-Nation Tournament, India jumped five places ahead in the FIFA rankings. They are currently ranked 101st, below Lebanon and New Zealand.
Stimac initially selected a 41-man squad but eventually narrowed it down to 27 players. This is the start of a crucial juncture for the Blue Tigers as they prepare for the all-important AFC Asian Cup in 2024.
Meanwhile, Mongolia will play in the Intercontinental Cup for the first time. They are the lowest-ranked team (183) among the four participating countries and have won just one of their last five games.
India vs Mongolia: Hea coaches' quotes
Igor Stimac, India's head coach, was upbeat about the team's preparations for the competition and hinted at what his side can expect from Mongolia.
"We're expecting to win the tournament, and that's why we're here. We'll do everything possible to make that happen. Mongolia are a very aggressive side with a lot of young players in midfield and upfront. They press high press and play counter-attacking football," he said.
"Even though they may find it difficult to adapt to the warm weather here, their players are arriving in competitive form as the Mongolian league is going on at the moment," he added.
Ichiro Otsuka’s Mongolia arrive in the tournament as underdogs. The Japanese coach revealed that his team have to focus on the defensive side of the game against India.
“I already told you that our ranking is not high and we play against India who are very highly ranked. We are very happy and motivated to play against them. I contacted Arata Izumi about India before coming here," he said.
"He told me a lot about India. India is a strong team compared to our team. We have concentrate on our defending first and we have some ideas which I cannot say at the moment," he added.
India vs Mongolia: Predicted lineup
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Mohammad Yasir, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Nandhakumar Sekar, and Sunil Chhetri.
Mongolia: Munkh-Erdene Enkhtaivan, Tuvshinjargal Dulguun, Purevdorj Bayartsengel, Orkhon Munkh-Orgil, Bilguun Ganbold, Narmandakh Artag, Tsend-Ayush Khurelbaatar, Dulguun Amaraa, Baljinnyam Batbold, Ganbayar Ganbold, and Baatartsogt Namsrai.
India vs Mongolia: Prediction
India are undoubtedly the overwhelming favorites to win the game. The players have trained for a month and as a result, Stimac could name his best starting lineup.
However, Mongolia are a well-drilled side who have the potential to cause an upset. The Blue Wolves will look to stay compact and hit their opponents on the break with their forwards who are quick across the ground.
Prediction: India 3-1 Mongolia
