LAHORE – Pakistan coach Tariq Lutfi says he is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Indian football team, as Pakistan face arch-rivals India today in the 4th AFC Challenge Cup Qualifiers in Malaysia. “We have an idea about their strengths. They were among the top 16 teams of Asia during Qatar’s event last January.
A big win is required, and the players are motivated to do that. All the boys are fit for the crucial showdown,” said Lutfi. On Monday, Pakistan went down goal-less against Turkmenistan. Meanwhile, since India’s exit from the 15th Asian Cup 2011, all the talk has been about the future of Robert Houghton as Indian coach. But all that has been put to rest for now and the Englishman is set for his first assignment since Doha 2011.
Houghton’s side head for the match after a 3-0 win over Chinese Taipei on Monday. The 23-man squad has a number of inexperienced and uncapped players and thus the selection has been made with an eye to the future. Indian keeper Subrata Paul, having a fine Asian Cup, is expected to start under the bar against Pakistan after a clean sheet on Monday. His understudy, young Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who was also among the 23 players in the Asian Cup, could be tried in one of the remaining match.
Squads:
Pakistan:
Goalkeepers: Amir Gul (NBP), Muhammad Omar (KESC)
Defenders: Manzoor Ahmed (WAPDA), Alamgir Khan (Police), Atif Bashir Qureshi (Barry Town, Wales), Samar Ishaq (KRL) CAP, Zeeshan Rehman (Muangthong United FC, Thailand), Midfielders: Faisal Iqbal (NBP), Syed Arif Hussain (WAPDA), Muhammad Adil (KRL), Mahmood Khan (KRL), Kashif Mumtaz Siddiqui (Fresno Fuego, USA), Abdul Aziz (NBP) VC, Nasr Ullah Khan (PIA), Adnan Farooq Ahmed (Aboomoslem FC, Iran), Strikers : Jadeed Khan Pathan (WAPDA), Rizwan Asif (KRL), Kalim Ullah (KRL), Imran Niazi (WAPDA), Arif Mehmood (WAPDA), Muhammad Qasim (KRL). Coach : Tariq Lutfi
India:
Goalkeepers: Subrata Paul, Gurpreet Singh, Jagroop Singh.
Defenders: Denzil Franco, Gourmangi Singh , Anwar , Mohan Raj, Nirmal Chhetri , Syed Rahim Nabi, Govin Singh, N.S.Manju, Raju Gaikwad. Midfielders: Steven Dias, Joaquim Abranches, Baldip Singh, Jagpreet Singh, Rakesh Masih, Jewel Raja, Shilton D’Silva. Forwards: Sunil Chhetri (Captain), Sushil Singh, CS Sabeeth, Jeje Lalpekhulua.
Coach: Robert Douglas Houghton.
