Football has always embraced underdog stories warmly. Be it the rise of South Korea in 2002 or the recent fourth-place finish of Morocco in the FIFA World Cup, the element of surprise only adds magic to the beautiful game.
When India, the lowest-ranked team (102) in its group, takes the field in the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, it will look to beat the odds under Croat Igor Stimac.
Though the team’s quality, on paper, is well short of its group-stage opponents, Australia, Syria, and Uzbekistan, all of whom are equally adept at making it to the knockouts, India’s realistic target would be to avoid three defeats and, if at all, dare a win against the higher-ranked opponents.
The Blue Tigers will open their campaign against the 2015 Asian champion, the Socceroos, the strongest contenders in the group and one of the title favourites.
Interestingly, the last time India played in the Asian Cup in Qatar, its first opponent was also Australia, and it lost 0-4. Though the Socceroos have changed three managers since, the current side, under head coach Graham Arnold, would be an even tougher nut to crack, having reached the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
India, on the other hand, will look to scrape the barrel, having lost three of its first-team regulars — center-back Anwar Ali, who is recuperating from an ankle injury; Ashique Kuruniyan, who is ruled out with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament); and Jeakson Singh, who could not recover from shoulder surgery in time.
A better showing in Qatar
India returns to Qatar — moved from China due to Covid-19 challenges — for the Asian Cup after a forgettable outing in 2011, when it failed to get a single point under head coach Bob Houghton, losing to Australia, Bahrain, and South Korea.
Goalkeeper Subrata Paul had then risen to hero’s status against South Korea, making 15 saves and earning the nickname ‘Spiderman’. This time, however, India, having risen 40 spots in the rankings since, will look to celebrate and relish team accolades against Asian heavyweights.
![India’s goalkeeper Subrata Paul has risen to a hero’s status] for his individual brilliance at the AFC Asian Cup in 2011. In the same country, 12 years later, India will look to find a favourable result with a collective effort this time around.](https://assetsss.thehindu.com/theme/images/ss-online/1x1_spacer.png "India’s goalkeeper Subrata Paul has risen to a hero’s status] for his individual brilliance at the AFC Asian Cup in 2011. In the same country, 12 years later, India will look to find a favourable result with a collective effort this time around.")
India’s goalkeeper Subrata Paul has risen to a hero’s status] for his individual brilliance at the AFC Asian Cup in 2011. In the same country, 12 years later, India will look to find a favourable result with a collective effort this time around. | Photo Credit: AP
Only two players from the 2011 Asian Cup squad — Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu — are part of the 2024 edition, and their leadership will play a crucial role in inspiring the team.
Stimac’s boys showed a lot of promise in early 2023, winning the Tri-Nations Series, Intercontinental Cup, and SAFF Championship by July, but struggled to assert control over higher-ranked opponents later on, winning just once in their last five games. Their performance against Iraq in the King’s Cup, playing a higher line with fluid passing in the final third along with quick set-pieces, will be the ace up their sleeves against three counter-attacking sides in the Asian Cup.
The head coach, however, has underlined the lack of preparation time. He has maintained that the country should not expect too much from a team with hardly two weeks in the national camp after Indian Super League duties.
Stimac has maintained that the country should not expect too much from the Indian team at the Asian Cup. | Photo Credit: Biswaranjan Rout / The Hindu
“Let’s stop talking about the Asian Cup. We didn’t get what we wanted. I was very clear: if you give me time, I might provide results for you. Without time, do not ask about results or anything like that. Just forget it,” Stimac said.
“We’re going to do everything, but there is no time for us to work (enough) in the 12–13 days. It’s nothing to prepare for the teams we’re going to face.”
Injury concerns
While India has experimented with formations throughout 2023, its most consistent shape has been 4-2-3-1, with a congested mid-block in front of a four-man backline to thwart counterattacks.
In defence, Anwar’s absence will be the biggest hole. The Mohun Bagan Super Giant defender was not only a left-footed centre-back but also a ball-playing one, creating pin-point long balls for counterattacks. Though Mumbai City FC captain Rahul Bheke is expected to partner Sandesh Jhingan, two defensive-minded centre-backs will not offer balance in Stimac’s preferred shape.
“Injuries don’t help. When you lose a couple of main players, never mind their age or experience, it is much more difficult because there is a reason why he is there in the starting eleven,” Stimac said.
India’s centre-back Anwar Ali has been ruled out of the AFC Asian Cup with an ankle injury and his absence will be a major miss for the squad in Qatar. | Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K/The Hindu
While Stimac has gone with the trio of Ashique, Sahal Abdul Samad, and Lallianzuala Chhangte — in front of the double pivot in the midfield — for most of 2023, Ashique’s injury will see Naorem Mahesh take up the spot along the left, with Sahal playing the No. 10 role.
Anirudh Thapa is expected to orchestrate attacks from the midfield, but India will have to dig deep to find options for the defensive midfield role, with Jeakson ruled out.
Though Lalengmawia Ralte and Suresh Singh will be the preferred options for Stimac, a narrow-attacking approach by a more physical team — which is the case with all three opponents — can leave India bitterly exposed when out of possession.
However, Stimac’s biggest headache will be the No. 9.
While Chhetri, India’s highest goalscorer of all time, has owned that position for the last decade, age will be a huge factor — he is 39 — against physical teams from India’s group.
It is this position that might see a youngster find his own ‘Subrata Paul moment’ in the Asian Cup, filling in the boots of a legend.
Ishan Pandita and Manvir Singh, both of whom have played as No. 9 before, will have their trials by fire for this spot in Doha.
Asian Cup favourite
The AFC Asian Cup will be the perfect opportunity for host Qatar to recover from the wounds of the FIFA World Cup on home soil in 2022. The Asian champion became the worst-performing host in World Cup history after losing all its games, conceding seven goals, and getting knocked out.
It has changed two managers since and will hope to defend its crown under former Espanyol manager Tintin Marquez, with stern competition from Japan, Iran, South Korea, and Australia.
Qatar starts the AFC Asian Cup as the defending champion and will look for a similar showing on home soil this time around. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Qatar will look for goals from its most dependable forward, Almoez Ali, who has been equally adept in front and along the wings.
Almoez, the Golden Boot winner in the last edition of the tournament, holds the record for most goals in a single edition of the Asian Cup (nine goals) and has become more threatening under former Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier at Al Duhail.
Japan, the most successful team in the competition (four titles), was the giant killer in the FIFA World Cup 2022, beating former world champions Germany and Spain. Winger Kaoru Mitoma, who had suffered an ankle injury, has made the cut and will be key for Japan, which enters the event as the highest-ranked Asian side.
South Korea, on the other hand, will look to make the most of the European experience of its players, with 12 out of 26 playing professionally in Europe. Tottenham’s Son Heung-Min, who has been in fine goal-scoring touch in the Premier League, will hope to inspire South Korea, runner-up in 2015, to bag the top honour.
So India has its task cut out. It may lack depth, but so did Morocco, playing against then-World No. 2 Belgium, Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, and the 2010 World Champion Spain — opponents it persevered against and won at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Stimac’s India would look to take a leaf out of the same book to pull off the perfect underdog success story.
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