Tehran: India’s footballers face their toughest test in the 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifiers when they take on Asia’s highest ranked side Iran, sans influential striker Sunil Chhetri, on Thursday.
India, ranked 160th, were dealt a body blow when Chhetri, the country’s highest scorer in international football, was ruled out with a groin injury just before the team boarded the flight to Tehran. In Chhetri’s absence, the mantle of leading the side has fallen on the young shoulders of Jeje Lalpekhlua.
The Indians, whose campaign has been nothing short of a disaster, are last in their group and will have one home match against Turkmenistan on March 29 left after the Iran game. A loss on Thursday against the Asian heavyweights will also throw the Indians out of contention for a berth for the 2019 Asian Cup from this campaign, which also doubles up as the qualifying tournament for the continental showpiece.
Guam, who are currently fourth in Group D, are four points above India who will end at the bottom if they lose on Thursday. India, who had also failed to qualify for the 2015 Asian Cup, will then have to play a separate play-offs round to book a berth for the final qualifying round of the 2019 edition.
Coach Stephen Constantine is aware that the game will stretch his team to the limit. “Playing Iran in Iran is as tough as it can get. It’s like David vs Goliath on the field. Iran are the giants of Asia,” Constantine said at the pre-match media interaction.
