India’s head coach Igor Stimac has revealed that the players are determined to give their all in a must-win match against Qatar. The Blue Tigers will take on the group-toppers in the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Joint Qualifiers Round 2 at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Ar-Rayyan on Tuesday.
India could only manage a goalless draw against Kuwait last Thursday at the Salt Lake Stadium and there is no doubt that they will have their work cut out against the formidable team. The Men in Blue were not up to the mark against Kuwait and will need to play out of their skin to challenge Qatar.
“Over the last five years, we have created hope within the team, which was never there before. I am proud of the boys, of how confident they are when they take the pitch,” he said in the pre-match press conference.
“I’ve told them that the only thing they need to do is enjoy the game, be proud of their country, and take the opportunities that will make the 1.4 billion people back home happy. It’s all about the 90 minutes for us tomorrow, and we are prepared to die on the pitch if required,” he added.
Meanwhile, India will be without the services of their veteran Sunil Chhetri, who has now retired from International football. The Croatian said they are not thinking about Chhetri’s absence.
“We are not thinking about it (Chhetri’s absence). We’ve played several games over the last five years without him, and we have shown that we can play in a composed manner. We’ve got other leaders on the side who now need to step up,” he commented.
“Of course, Sunil (Chhetri) has some great qualities – his personality, leadership skills, and football quality, but I am not going to go back to it. This is about the team, not about any individual,” Stimac added.
On the other hand, midfielder Brandon Fernandes is optimistic about putting on a good show against Qatar.
“For me in football, everything is possible,” he said.
“If we go with a good mindset to win the game, we will get something out of it. Even a draw could be good for us, but we have to go there with a lot of hunger (to win),” Fernandes concluded.
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