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The Indian men's football team will begin their campaign in the three-nation Hưng Thịnh friendly tournament against Singapore on Saturday, September 24, at 5.30 pm IST. The match will take place at the Thống Nhất Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
The Blue Tigers are returning to action after a gap of over three months since the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers were held in Kolkata in June.
The continental showpiece event is less than nine months away, and Igor Štimac's men will be keen to begin the preparation cycle on the right note in Vietnam.
India's opponents Singapore were thrashed 0-4 by hosts Vietnam on Wednesday, September 21. The Lions put up a lackluster defensive show and were outclassed by a young Vietnamese side, who were even missing some key players.
After a cagey opening half hour with no real chances on either end, the deadlock was broken by Nguyễn Văn Quyết's rifling strike from outside the box. Singapore had no time to settle in the second half as Nguyễn Thanh Nhân doubled Vietnam's lead in the 50th minute.
The hosts kept on piling the pressure and added two more goals from Hồ Tấn Tài and Khuất Văn Khang to condemn Singapore to their heaviest ever loss against Vietnam. Takayuki Nishigaya's side had no answer to the hosts' fast-paced attacks down the wings.
On that note, let's take a look at three key player battles that could impact how India's friendly match against Singapore will pan out.
#3 Anirudh Thapa (IND) vs Anumanthan Kumar (SIN)
Anirudh Thapa had a terrific Durand Cup 2022 campaign for Chennaiyin FC with two goals and three assists in five matches, making a strong case to be the first name in Igor Štimac's midfield.
The youngster played just 45 minutes in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers for India and will be eager to win back his place in the starting XI.
On Saturday, Thapa's battle in midfield will be against Singapore's Anumanthan Kumar. In the absence of veteran midfielder Shahdan Sulaiman against Vietnam, Kumar took over defensive midfield responsibilities and was one of the few Singaporeans who played well.
Kumar's strength and physicality might make it difficult for Thapa, but the crafty Indian midfielder definitely has the edge in terms of speed and technical ability.
#2 Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (IND) vs Ikhsan Fandi (SIN)
One of the most eye-catching battles will be between India's experienced goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Singapore's young star striker Ikhsan Fandi.
Sandhu has landed in Vietnam fresh from winning the Durand Cup title with Bengaluru FC in Kolkata last Sunday. He is the second-highest capped player in the Blue Tigers' squad with 54 caps, only behind captain Sunil Chhetri.
In the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Sandhu conceded only one goal as India topped their group with three wins in as many games.
The tall and acrobatic Indian custodian will need to be on top of his game when he squares off against Singapore's leading striker. Ikhsan has already racked up 16 goals in 31 matches for the Lions, including a hat-trick against Myanmar in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in June.
Since joining Thai club BG Pathum United in January 2022, Ikhsan has netted 19 times, including three in the AFC Champions League.
Gurpreet and Ikhsan have been exceptional in their positions for their respective nations, which makes for an exciting clash.
#1 Sunil Chhetri (IND) vs Irfan Fandi (SIN)
After completing his domestic trophy collection with the Durand Cup title last Sunday, Sunil Chhetri is back in national colors. The record Indian international goalscorer will hope to keep the momentum going and make Singapore the 32nd nation he has scored against.
Chhetri scored four goals in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, including a stunning free-kick against Afghanistan. It was India's fifth qualification for the continental event and third of Chhetri's career, which goes to show just how long he has been playing at the highest level.
He will be up against Irfan Fandi, the eldest of the three Fandi brothers in the Singaporean squad. Irfan has commanded the Lions' defense ever since making his debut in 2016 at the age of 19.
He has made his name as one of the most successful Singaporeans to play abroad, winning the Thai league title and reaching the AFC Champions League quarter-finals with BG Pathum United.
So this duel between the two stalwarts of their national teams is our pick for the mega-battle of the match.
