Intercontinental Cup: Kenya, Taipei & New Zealand will test India before Asian Cup

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April 19 2024, 07:30 PM

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Indian national football team coach Stephen Constantine (left) with captain Sunil Chhetri in Mumbai on Thursday. India will begin their Intercontinental Cup campaign against Chinese Taipei on June 1 (Image: AIFF Media)

Mumbai, May 31: It was sometime in April last year that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) announced that it would organise an annual four-nation tournament that would replace the now-defunct Nehru Cup. Though the news was welcomed warmly and raised the excitement levels of an average fan, what followed was nothing less than a damp squib - a three-nation event featuring Mauritius and St Kitts and Nevis apart from the hosts.

'Not making up numbers in Asian Cup' | Sleeping or rising competitor?" title="Intercontinental Cup: India over-reliant on Sunil Chhetri | 'Not making up numbers in Asian Cup' | Sleeping or rising competitor?" />Intercontinental Cup: India over-reliant on Sunil Chhetri | 'Not making up numbers in Asian Cup' | Sleeping or rising competitor?

Left back @JerryRinzuala has played four times for India until now.#BackTheBlue #AsianDream #WeAreIndia pic.twitter.com/vJm27IyGLY
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 31, 2018

The Indian issue

If one looks at the statistics alone, India are one of the formidable sides in this competition. Ranked 97th in the world and boasting of an envious record of having won 13 games on the bounce not so far long ago - a stat that made their head coach Stephen Constantine compare them to world champions Germany, the Sunil Chhetri-led side should start the tournament as favourites. But anyone who has followed this team closely know that the truth is far from what the numbers portrait.

Yes, the team has enjoyed a fair amount of success under Constantine, but one should also note that most of those wins have come against teams who usual tend to perform a rung below India. Of the 13 triumphs, seven of them came against teams like Nepal, Laos, Macau and Mauritius.

Young defender Lalruatthara made his debut against the Kyrgyz Republic in the @afcasiancup qualifier#BackTheBlue #AsianDream #WeAreIndia pic.twitter.com/5PBg3uV5Qk
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 31, 2018

While India did display their calibre against Myanmar and a physically imposing Kyrgyzstan in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers last year, they were no match when they travelled to Bishkek for the return leg of their qualifier against Kyrgyzstan, a match that saw their famous winning run halted.

Though the team tried their best to return with something from that trip, it was not to be as the Kyrgyz held their ground to thwart away the Indian challenge. That game was a fine example of the lack of creativity and experience in the side in the absence of their skipper and talisman Chhetri, who missed the Kyrgyzstan trip due to a suspension. And at the Intercontinental Cup, this would be India's biggest challenge - to find solutions in the absence of their captain.

Thanks for the challenge @p9ashwini @sdevvarman .Here's my bit and I'm nominating @sonam_29 @aliaabhatt #sajjanjindal and @renedysingh to take this forward! #HumFitTohIndiaFit

A post shared by chetri_sunil11 (@chetri_sunil11) on May 28, 2018 at 1:52am PDT

Kenyan trouble

Kenya was called into the fold after South Africa pulled out of the competition. But that hasn't helped the situation one bit with the Kenyans set to field a weakened side for the competition. One of the primary reasons behind this is the ongoing domestic season back home.

Two of the top clubs in the country, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards have called back their players who were a part of the national team for the two friendlies against Swaziland and Equatorial Guinea this month, reducing the national team to a mere second-string outfit.

Gor Mahia has reportedly called back six of their players which include goalkeeper Boniface Oluoch, Francis Kahata, Philemon Otieno, Joash Onyango, Haron Shakava, and Humphrey Mieno, while the Leopards have allowed only two of their players, defender Micheal Kibwage and midfielder Duncan Otieno, to continue in the Harambee Stars squad.

Kenya Coach Frustrated with the 3rd String Kenya Football Team that has travelled to India to Participate in the Intercontinental Cup.

He says, "he has a reputation to protect and cannot be fielding weakened sides and risk losing matches.” pic.twitter.com/1snNdgycMl
— Indian Football Team-For World Cup (@IFTWC) May 31, 2018

While the Harambee Stars are certain to miss their skipper and Tottenham Hotspur star Victor Wanyama due to a knee injury, the absence of Girona FC's Micheal Olunga has further peeled away the sheen from the Kenyan side.

It would be fascinating to see how the Harambee Stars challenge the other sides in the competition with the squad at their disposal, especially with the qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations just around the corner.

New-look Kiwis

Things are no different in the case of the 2010 World Cuppers. The All Whites head coach Fritz Schmid has named a relatively young squad for the Intercontinental Cup. They are without the prominent Premier League figures of Winston Reid and Chris Wood and a host of other first-team regulars. A total of six uncapped players have been called up to the national squad for their trip to India, with the coach deploying a largely inexperienced team.

PHOTOS | The #AllWhites are into training in Mumbai as they get ready to face Kenya in The HERO Intercontinental Cup on Sunday morning 2.30 am NZT #COYAW pic.twitter.com/1dEldQSwh2
— New Zealand Football (@NZ_Football) May 31, 2018

With their fortunes following a downward trajectory in the recent past, it would be interesting to see how coach Schmid grooms this new-look side for the bigger battles ahead.

Taipei test

This is a team that we can talk some history with. The Taipei side, who are currently ranked 121 in the world, have played India eight times in the past, with India winning four and losing two of them. However, they come into this game on the back of some impressive results. They have won their last four games on the trot, including a 1-0 victory over Singapore early this year.

The Asian side has barely made a mark on the international scene for long. However, the arrival of coach Gary White has resulted in a change in fortune. Under his leadership, Taipei reached unprecedented heights as they achieved their best-ever FIFA-ranking in 2017.

Midfielder @RowllinB feels Hero Intercontinental Cup is very important for the preparation of @afcasiancup. Come and support us #BackTheBlue #AsianDream #WeAreIndia pic.twitter.com/j7YUGWB0QG
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 30, 2018

Moreover, White knows a thing or two about the Indian side too. He was at the helm when Guam pulled off a stunning 2-1 win over India in the World Cup qualifiers in 2015. And it won't be a surprise if he goes on to orchestrate something similar on Friday.

Can the Intercontinental Cup provide India with the kind of preparation they were hoping for ahead of the Asian Cup or will this turn out to be another spectacle to throw dust in the eyes of the Indian fans?We hope to have an answer in 10 days' time.