Match facts
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore
Start time: 8 pm IST
Big Picture
India continue their quest to qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup against Kyrgyzstan in their first home game of Group A in the Asian Cup qualifier. Both teams recorded wins in their respective first matches, and a victory on Tuesday could put the winner in pole position to qualify as one of the top two sides in the group.
India come to this game fresh from beating Nepal 2-0 in an international friendly last week in Mumbai. The morale of the team would be high, though the fitness status of striker Sunil Chhetri and deep-lying midfielder Rowllin Borges could be a cause for concern. Chhetri didn't feature against Nepal and Borges was subbed 29 minutes into the game, Coach Stephen Constantine will hope to have both available against Kyrgyzstan.
If recent performances suggest anything, India have a balanced team now - offensively banging in the goals and keeping it tight in defence. On the attacking front, Jeje Lalpekhlua has scored four times in their last five games, Chhetri's form has picked up in the last few months and Robin Singh, who has had a good year - and is likely to start - is always an aerial threat. Sandesh Jhingan, who opened the scoring against Nepal, has just started forming a good defensive partnership with Anas Edathodika, helping India keep clean sheets in their last two games.
Kyrgyzstan, who were ranked 125th compared to India's 132nd when the qualifiers started, have slipped to 132nd now while India have climbed to 100th. The FIFA rankings bely the fact that their only competitive fixture has been the 1-0 win over Macau in their opening qualifier in March. Since Russian coach Aleksandr Krestenin took over in 2014, Kyrgyzstan have improved considerably with a sturdy back line that opponents find difficult to break down. They have conceded just one goal in their last five games, with skipper Azamat Baymatov leading the way in the heart of defence. They have scored just two goals in these games though, and their rustiness could give India a slight edge.
In the spotlight
With an injury to Udanta Singh, Jackichand Singh is likely to get the nod on the right side of midfield, with Chhetri and Eugeneson Lyngdoh beside him. With a lukewarm domestic season under his belt, the winger who tore into defences in 2014 - earning him the player of the year award in that year's I-League - will look to prove his worth in the blue of India. The coach has plenty of wingers to choose from in this squad, so Jackichand will have to be on his toes to retain his place in the side. If both Robin and Jeje start, Jackichand's crossing and pace could see him posing problems along the ground for Kyrgyzstan, perfectly complementing the aerial threat from the forwards.
Pavel Matiash, Kyrgyzstan's goalkeeper knows a thing or two about the Indian team. Playing for Maldivian side Maziya S&RC, he has faced Mohun Bagan and Bengaluru FC twice in the AFC Cup. His national record in the last five matches has seen him concede just once and keep four clean sheets. Matiash has been Kyrgyzstan's number one for four years now, since his debut in 2009, and his combination with the imposing figure of centre-back Baymatov will make their backline a tough one to crack.
Form guide (last five matches, most recent first)
India: WWWWW
Kyrgyzstan: WDLWD
Quotes
"If we win, that would be massive because they're the most fancied team in this group so to beat them would give us a massive advantage. At home I really fancy our team, so we really have to give our best and get three points. If we do that, it would be a massive step towards qualification."
Sunil Chhetri on the game