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Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac has named a 25-member squad for the Indian football team's international friendlies against Nepal.
The Indian football team will play back-to-back friendlies in Nepal on September 2 and September 5.
The 25-member squad was named by Igor Stimac a day after the Indian men's senior national team beat Hero I-League team Mohammedan Sporting 2-0 in an exhibition match at the VYBK on Sunday.
The Indian football team's head coach cautioned that the team needs to be careful as they head to the next two matches (international friendlies). Igor Stimac told the All India Football Federation (AIFF):
“We can’t expect much after 10 days of preparation. The legs are still heavy from the load and we need to slow down and refresh the players. I am happy with the manner in which our players performed. They should have scored a few goals much earlier. But it was not easy under the heavy downpour and a heavy pitch.”
Indian football team overcomes adverse conditions
The Indian football team's exhibition match against Mohammedan Sporting was played under heavy rain, with the intensity increasing midway through the second half.
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Igor Stimac said the conditions were completely challenging and expected the ATK Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC players to be better equipped to tackle the adverse conditions. He explained:
“The boys are all ready for 45 minutes, and we need to be careful going into the next two games against Nepal. We understand that the ATK Mohun Bagan and BFC players will be in better shape than others for two matches against Nepal.”
While ATK Mohun Bagan players will join the Indian football team's national camp in Kolkata on Friday, the Bengaluru FC players will join the rest of the squad in New Delhi on Sunday.
The Indian football team will leave for Nepal on Monday, August 30.
The Indian football senior national team's probables have been training in Kolkata since August 15.
This is the first time in 15 years that the Indian senior football team is having a preparatory camp in Kolkata. The last time the Indian football team was in Kolkata was in 2006, prior to India's FIFA World Cup Qualifier against Saudi Arabia.
Indian football squad for Nepal friendlies
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.
Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Mandar Rao Dessai, Akash Mishra, Rahul Bheke, Subhasish Bose, Seriton Fernandes.
Midfielders: Lalengmawia, Bipin Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Brandon Fernandes, Liston Colaco, Yasir Mohammad, Glan Martins, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Jeakson Singh, Pronay Halder.
Forwards: Manvir Singh, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri, Farukh Choudhary.
