Indian football team's dismal run continued as they suffered a humiliating 0-4 loss to Iran in a Group D match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Football captain Sunil Chhetri wants India to "set a benchmark" by regularly qualifying for AFC Asian Cup, the continent's premier tournament.
India jumped two places to finish 2016 at 135, their best in the last six years, in the FIFA rankings published on Thursday. This is India's six-year highest annual ranking after 2009 when India finished at 134. National coach Stephen Constantine attributed the upsurge to all his players and the staff. "It can't be achieved without the help of the players. We have an exceptional batch of players as we are in the process of building the team for the future," Constantine said.
India finished their preparations for the upcoming Asian Cup Football Championship by holding a superior Oman to a goalless draw in their final warm-up game, in Abu Dhabi, on Thursday.
Striker Jeje Lalpekhlua scored twice as India recovered from a one-goal deficit to thrash Laos 6-1 in one of the biggest ever wins and book a berth in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup football Qualifiers.
The team spent some 16 hours on the flight and landed in Guam 27 hours after leaving Bengaluru on June 12. They had their first training session on Sunday afternoon at the Guam FA Stadium.
Influential skipper Sunil Chhetri has been ruled out of India's World Cup qualifier against Iran owing to a groin injury, dealing a body blow to the beleaguered outfit's prospects of putting up a fight. The match for Russia 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 2 is slated to be played in Tehran on Thursday. A 22-member team on Monday left for the forthcoming game. Six players from the list of 28 probables, including injured striker Chhetri, didn't travel with the squad. "We had to take some bold decisions and we have to travel to Tehran without our influential captain Sunil Chhetri," national coach Stephen Constantine said. "He will be badly missed." Chhetri has been ruled out following a groin injury which he had picked up in the I-League.
'This is the tournament we play for. We get to rub our shoulders against best in Asia which we don't get many times'
Constantine interviewed by Chennaiyin FC
Myanmar coach Gerd Zaise praised Indian National Team skipper Sunil Chhetri highly
India's football coach Stephen Constantine announced his preliminary squad of 38 probables for India's forthcoming back to back 2018 World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification matches against Oman and Guam respectively.
While there is no imminent threat to the AFC Asian Cup participation by the senior men's team in late 2023 or early 2024, some of the games slated for clubs and age-group national teams in the next few months could well be a tricky terrain.
India will start as favourites against Maldives in the summit clash of the South Asian Football Federation Cup, in Dhaka, on Saturday.
Sunil Chhetri equalled the iconic Lionel Messi with his 80th international strike as an inspired India blanked Nepal 3-0 for their eighth SAFF Championship title, in Male, on Saturday. India extended their domination in the regional tournament thanks to second half goals from Chhetri (49th minute), Suresh Singh (50th) and Sahal Abdul Samad (90th).
After Central defender Harpreet Singh headed the first one in the 37th minute, two goals in two minutes immediately after resumption took the issue beyond Yemen's reach.
Acting on the Sports Ministry's directive to send nominations for this year's sports awards, the AIFF did not have much trouble in finalising the names.
India thrashed Nepal 4-1 at the Trivandrum International Stadium, in Kerala, on Sunday, to finish on top of Group A and seal a place in the semi-finals.
An inexperienced Indian football side gave a good fight before going down 1-2 against Oman in the home leg match of the 2018 World Cup Preliminary Qualification round in Bangalore on Thursday.
Rathore, Tendulkar lead accolades for Chhetri
India has a population of 1.3 billion but the nation's obsession with and success on the cricket pitch has left it a massive underachiever on the football field.
Stimac was part of the Croatia team that sensationally reached the semi-finals of the World Cup at the first attempt in 1998 and he is looking to his India squad to similarly buck the odds in Asian qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.
India finally tasted victory after five straight losses in their 2018 football World Cup qualifying campaign as they beat Guam by a solitary goal in Bangalore on Thursday.
India captain Sunil Chhetri has urged fans to be patient with the team and coach Stephen Constantine after the national team's yet another shambolic qualification campaign for the 2018 soccer World Cup.
India held a dominant Nepal to a goalless draw in their 2018 FIFA World Cup football qualifying Round 1 second leg match to advance to the second round on a 2-0 aggregate in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
The Indian senior national football team will play their home match of the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium at Sajusarai in Guwahati.
Chhetri is the lone surviving member of the 2011 team who lost all three group games in Qatar but the 34-year-old is determined to make a mark in what is potentially his final appearance in the continent's biggest tournament next month.
India overcame stubborn resistance to beat a spirited Maldives 3-2 and enter the final of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championships for a record 10th time after the in-form Jeje Lalpekhlua struck twice in a thrilling semi-final, in Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday.
Two delectable strikes from magical Manvir Singh and an opportunistic header from substitute Sumeet Passi helped defending champions India breeze past Pakistan 3-1 to romp into the final of the SAFF Suzuki Cup.
The 51-year-old, who was part of Croatia's 1998 World Cup squad that finished third in France, comes with an experience of over 18 years in coaching, structuring, and developing football and players back home, and internationally.
Indian football team has turned into a decent home side but it is in desperate need for away games, says inspirational skipper Sunil Chhetri, who feels the next target for the country should be a top-10 place in Asia so that the big guns invite them over.
India left their scoring boots and luck behind while hosts United Arab Emirates found both after a subdued opener to record a 2-0 win in the AFC Asian Cup in Dubai on Thursday.
To say Sunil Chhetri and Lionel Messi in the same breath is more than a little odd, is what the talismanic Indian striker himself felt once or twice.
The arrival of Quess as sponsors has given East Bengal financial boost while Mohun Bagan are in talks with ATK to collaborate.
Striker Jeje Lalpekhlua scored the winner as India beat Laos by a solitary goal in a play-off match to put themselves in a strong position of qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, in Vientiane, Laos, on Thursday.
It was the first meeting between the countries in more than two decades and has been dubbed 'The Earth Derby' as it features nations that are home to a third of the world's population.
In a first of sorts for Indian football, the national team implemented the 'Player Tracking System' at its ongoing preparatory camp at the DSK Dream City, the home of DSK Shivajians Football Club, in Pune.
The Indian football team will play against China for the first time in 21 years, and the first time away from home, in an international friendly in October, continuing its preparation for the prestigious Asian Cup next year.
The Indian football team's 13-match unbeaten run ended as it lost 1-2 to an attacking Kyrgyzstan
Four days after creating a flutter with a stunning 4-1 drubbing of Thailand, India are now looking an upbeat lot in the continental showpiece.
India began the year on 97 in FIFA rankings, but after two wins, four draws and seven losses, the country ended 2019 at 108
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