It had been relatively easy for the Indian national football team in the first round of qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The fact that India beat Nepal 2-0 in the first round of qualifiers meant that it jumped from a historical low of #173 to #147 in the latest FIFA rankings. The rise in rankings meant that India got a significantly better draw and on April 14, was eventually placed in Group D for the third phase of qualifying, alongside Turkmenistan, Guam, Oman and Iran.
The qualifying competition begins on June 11 and goes on until March 29 of next year. There are eight groups and a total of 12 teams would qualify for the the third and final qualification round of the world cup – the top team from each group and the four best second-placed teams. Those teams will also automatically qualify for the 2019 Asian Cup. The other second-placed and third-placed teams will go into the third round of qualifying for the Asian Cup.
For a country that since independence has largely concentrated on cricket, the task ahead is clearly cut out. India has been embroiled in controversies, low attendances in both domestic and international matches, and constant replacement of head coaches and also faces tough competition from the teams it has been placed with in Group D.
A tough draw
India will play the four teams in Group D at both home and away, totalling eight matches over a nine and a half month period. India (ranked 147 in the latest FIFA rankings) will play two games each against Iran (ranked #40), Oman (#97), Turkmenistan (#159) and Guam (#175), one at home and one away.
Here's the match schedule:
June 11, 2015 – India vs Oman
June 16, 2015 – Guam vs India
September 8, 2015 – India vs Iran
October 8, 2015 – Turkmenistan vs India
October 13, 2015 – Oman vs India
November 12, 2015 – India vs Guam
March 24, 2016 – Iran vs India
March 29, 2016 – India vs Turkmenistan
To get a realistic estimate of the team's chances, let's look at each team individually:
Guam (Rank #175)
Let’s start with the lowest ranked opponent that India has to face. Having faced each other only once – India winning with a comfortable 4-0 score line – and with Guam, not even being able to defeat Laos, it looks unlikely that they will pose a challenge to India. Since 2013, Guam have played seven matches – including the loss to India – and only won twice, against Chinese Taipei (179 ranked) and Cambodia (also ranked 179). Besides those they have drawn with Laos and Aruba while losing to Aruba, India and Myanmar. Most of the Guam national team players ply their trade in the lower tiers of the American Soccer league. Guam’s ranking of 175 is not far below their highest of 160, achieved under current coach Gary White. Under White, Guam has made tremendous progress but beating India will be close to impossible. For India, playing away might be a little tricky but shouldn’t pose a deep challenge.
Turkmenistan (Rank #159)
Turkmenistan beat Laos and Cambodia but has lost to Philippines, Afghanistan, and North Korea in recent times. Turkmenistan for their part has also never lost to Iran, last beating them in 1996. Only three of the Turkmenistan national team players ply their football outside of the country – One in Czech Republic and two in Uzbekistan – and this is where they lag behind. India have more and more players playing outside the country and with the Indian Super League bringing in a lot of foreign exposure, India should be well-prepared. But let's remember that Turkmenistan have never lost to Hong Kong and Thailand and have beaten Vietnam five out of six times. They will put up a significant challenge away from home, as the conditions will be relatively unfamiliar for the Indians.
Oman (Rank #97)
Last time Oman met India was in 2012. India was thrashed 5-1 in Muscat but a significant number of senior players were absent, including India’s leading goal scorer Sunil Chhetri. Recently, Oman has lost to Algeria, Australia, South Korea and China, all higher ranked, but has managed to beat Kuwait and Malaysia. The one big advantage Oman has over India is the fact that they’ve played a lot more matches than India in 2014. India played only two matches all of last year while Oman played 16 matches. The other arsenal that Oman has up their sleeve is their captain and goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi who plays for Wigan Athletic, which competes in the second division of English football. They also have a French coach and are ranked inside the top 100 teams in the world. Beating them both at home and away from home will be difficult for the Indians – even pulling off two draws would be a great achievement. Oman was criticized for their poor performance in the Gulf Cup in 2013 but they bounced back in 2014 with a 4th place finish. India has beaten Oman before so an upset can’t be ruled out.
Iran (Rank #40)
Hosting Iran, who featured in last year’s World Cup and have been one of the most consistent Asian teams, would provide the much needed exposure the Indian team badly needs. As would going and playing in Iran. A lot has changed since India last played Iran in 1992 but with a new head coach and a new look team, India should aim to play their hearts out and hope for a miracle. Iran have won the Asian Cup three times, qualified for the World Cup four times (winning a game against the United States) and has a number of players playing abroad. Two of the team members play for Osasuna, a first division club in Spain. The international exposure that Iran gets is a great boost for their experience. Recently they’ve played against Chile, Sweden, Iraq, Bahrain, South Korea, Nigeria, Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Indian chances
The Iranians will thus be favourites to top the group and Oman are expected to be second. The only possibility for India is to do well against Oman and somehow squeak a draw against Iran. Turkmenistan and Guam seem set to fight it out for the bottom two positions. Most Indians have already given up on India in the qualifiers but many think this much needed exposure will be invaluable for the future. If India can focus on producing good stadiums and training facilities along with getting together a decent team for the Under-17 World Cup taking place in India in 2017, that’ll go a much longer way in the history of the Indian football team.
"Regardless of the FIFA rankings, I am aware of the difficulties of playing against Turkmenistan and Guam." India’s head coach Stephen Constantine said after the draw was announced. "Guam, in fact, has made tremendous progress in the last two years under a fellow English coach. One doesn't need to explain the strength of Iran and Oman. Iran is the highest ranked Asian country while Oman are a very strong side", Constantine added. The coach seemed quite realistic in his conclusion about the team's chances: "It's a tough draw but it's always better to be in the draw than out of it, and we will do all what is possible to get a result."
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The qualifying competition begins on June 11 and goes on until March 29 of next year. There are eight groups and a total of 12 teams would qualify for the the third and final qualification round of the world cup – the top team from each group and the four best second-placed teams. Those teams will also automatically qualify for the 2019 Asian Cup. The other second-placed and third-placed teams will go into the third round of qualifying for the Asian Cup.
For a country that since independence has largely concentrated on cricket, the task ahead is clearly cut out. India has been embroiled in controversies, low attendances in both domestic and international matches, and constant replacement of head coaches and also faces tough competition from the teams it has been placed with in Group D.
A tough draw
India will play the four teams in Group D at both home and away, totalling eight matches over a nine and a half month period. India (ranked 147 in the latest FIFA rankings) will play two games each against Iran (ranked #40), Oman (#97), Turkmenistan (#159) and Guam (#175), one at home and one away.
Here's the match schedule:
June 11, 2015 – India vs Oman
June 16, 2015 – Guam vs India
September 8, 2015 – India vs Iran
October 8, 2015 – Turkmenistan vs India
October 13, 2015 – Oman vs India
November 12, 2015 – India vs Guam
March 24, 2016 – Iran vs India
March 29, 2016 – India vs Turkmenistan
To get a realistic estimate of the team's chances, let's look at each team individually:
Guam (Rank #175)
Let’s start with the lowest ranked opponent that India has to face. Having faced each other only once – India winning with a comfortable 4-0 score line – and with Guam, not even being able to defeat Laos, it looks unlikely that they will pose a challenge to India. Since 2013, Guam have played seven matches – including the loss to India – and only won twice, against Chinese Taipei (179 ranked) and Cambodia (also ranked 179). Besides those they have drawn with Laos and Aruba while losing to Aruba, India and Myanmar. Most of the Guam national team players ply their trade in the lower tiers of the American Soccer league. Guam’s ranking of 175 is not far below their highest of 160, achieved under current coach Gary White. Under White, Guam has made tremendous progress but beating India will be close to impossible. For India, playing away might be a little tricky but shouldn’t pose a deep challenge.
Turkmenistan (Rank #159)
Turkmenistan beat Laos and Cambodia but has lost to Philippines, Afghanistan, and North Korea in recent times. Turkmenistan for their part has also never lost to Iran, last beating them in 1996. Only three of the Turkmenistan national team players ply their football outside of the country – One in Czech Republic and two in Uzbekistan – and this is where they lag behind. India have more and more players playing outside the country and with the Indian Super League bringing in a lot of foreign exposure, India should be well-prepared. But let's remember that Turkmenistan have never lost to Hong Kong and Thailand and have beaten Vietnam five out of six times. They will put up a significant challenge away from home, as the conditions will be relatively unfamiliar for the Indians.
Oman (Rank #97)
Last time Oman met India was in 2012. India was thrashed 5-1 in Muscat but a significant number of senior players were absent, including India’s leading goal scorer Sunil Chhetri. Recently, Oman has lost to Algeria, Australia, South Korea and China, all higher ranked, but has managed to beat Kuwait and Malaysia. The one big advantage Oman has over India is the fact that they’ve played a lot more matches than India in 2014. India played only two matches all of last year while Oman played 16 matches. The other arsenal that Oman has up their sleeve is their captain and goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi who plays for Wigan Athletic, which competes in the second division of English football. They also have a French coach and are ranked inside the top 100 teams in the world. Beating them both at home and away from home will be difficult for the Indians – even pulling off two draws would be a great achievement. Oman was criticized for their poor performance in the Gulf Cup in 2013 but they bounced back in 2014 with a 4th place finish. India has beaten Oman before so an upset can’t be ruled out.
Iran (Rank #40)
Hosting Iran, who featured in last year’s World Cup and have been one of the most consistent Asian teams, would provide the much needed exposure the Indian team badly needs. As would going and playing in Iran. A lot has changed since India last played Iran in 1992 but with a new head coach and a new look team, India should aim to play their hearts out and hope for a miracle. Iran have won the Asian Cup three times, qualified for the World Cup four times (winning a game against the United States) and has a number of players playing abroad. Two of the team members play for Osasuna, a first division club in Spain. The international exposure that Iran gets is a great boost for their experience. Recently they’ve played against Chile, Sweden, Iraq, Bahrain, South Korea, Nigeria, Argentina and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Indian chances
The Iranians will thus be favourites to top the group and Oman are expected to be second. The only possibility for India is to do well against Oman and somehow squeak a draw against Iran. Turkmenistan and Guam seem set to fight it out for the bottom two positions. Most Indians have already given up on India in the qualifiers but many think this much needed exposure will be invaluable for the future. If India can focus on producing good stadiums and training facilities along with getting together a decent team for the Under-17 World Cup taking place in India in 2017, that’ll go a much longer way in the history of the Indian football team.
"Regardless of the FIFA rankings, I am aware of the difficulties of playing against Turkmenistan and Guam." India’s head coach Stephen Constantine said after the draw was announced. "Guam, in fact, has made tremendous progress in the last two years under a fellow English coach. One doesn't need to explain the strength of Iran and Oman. Iran is the highest ranked Asian country while Oman are a very strong side", Constantine added. The coach seemed quite realistic in his conclusion about the team's chances: "It's a tough draw but it's always better to be in the draw than out of it, and we will do all what is possible to get a result."