Sunil Chettri Shoulders India’s Hopes As Bangladesh Rope In Hamza Choudhury For AFC Asian Cup Qualification Bid
Indian men’s football team begin their last-ditch attempt to qualify for AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers against Bangladesh, who have been buoyed by the inclusion of Hamza Choudhury.
There is a renewed sense of optimism surrounding the Indian men’s football team as they prepare to go up against Bangladesh in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Tuesday.
India had finished third in their group in the joint 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, while the rest of Bangladesh, Hong Kong and Singapore (the other two sides in the group) finished fourth in their respective groups. The winner from this group will qualify for the AFC Asian Cup group stages.
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“The first game is always important. It’s a short competition, only the top team qualifies for the tournament," said the Indian men’s football team Manolo Marquez said at the pre-match press conference on Monday.
“There are six games and we need to finish first. We want to get the maximum points possible to qualify for Saudi Arabia (2027 AFC Asian Cup host country)," he added.
Manolo Marquez comes into the contest on the back of his first win as the India head coach, a commanding 3-0 win over neighbours Maldives as the Indian men’s football team ended their winless run at 489 days. Sunil Chhetri made his return that night and also got his name on the scoresheet – his 95th goal in India colours.
“Sunil is a legend in Indian football and the top-scorer of the season. We had problems scoring in my first few games, but not in creating chances though. I think he’s a great addition for us," Manolo Marquez said.
“We’re always expecting him to score goals. He’s got 95 of them. We’re happy to have him back. With the quality he has, he’s a threat to every team, not just Bangladesh," said Sandesh Jhingan.
“One thing we know is that whenever India play Bangladesh, we expect a match full of high intensity, passion and adrenaline, be it in football or any sport. We’re focused on getting our results. If you’re well prepared, you can beat any team, and if not, any team can beat you. We go into every game with a positive attitude," he added.
Neighbours and bitter rivals on the pitch, India and Bangladesh have faced off quite a number of times but it is the Blue Tigers have won 14 and lost just four of their 8 meetings. The last time Bothe sides met was at the 2021 SAFF Championships in Maldives, as Chhetri scored. In fact, the legend has netted six of India’s last seven goals against Bangladesh.
Bangladesh’s last win over India came back at the 2003 SAFF Championship semi-final in Dhaka. In fact, India have never been beaten by Bangladesh on Indian soil. On paper too, India are far ahead in the current FIFA rankings, – 126th compared to Bangladesh’s 185th.
This time around, Bangladesh will not be a pushover, especially with the inclusion of England-born Hamza Choudhury, who recently plied his trade for Leicester City in the Premier League and currently plays for Sheffield United.
The 27-year-old midfielder is a former England youth international and recently switched allegiance to the country of his mother’s birth.
Manolo Marquez though, is not worried about Hamza.
“Hamza, obviously, is a good player who was playing in the Premier League. It’s good for not just Bangladesh but Asian football that such players are playing for the national team. His teammates will be very motivated to play with him," the Indian head coach said.
Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera is counting on a good game and a better showing for his wards.
“It’s going to be an exciting game. We are very motivated. The team has been training and working hard for 24 days already," Javier Cabrera said.
“We are confident, stronger than ever, and expect a tight game. Hopefully, we will make things very difficult for India," he added.
Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan, who has experience of playing in India when as he turned up for Mohammedan SC, said, “It feels good to be back in India. I have good memories here, so, of course, I’m excited for tomorrow’s match. We know it’s going to be hard, but we’ll give our best."
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