CALCUTTA, 16 August 2006 — When Saudi Arabia take on India in the AFC Asian Cup qualifying match at the Salt Lake Stadium here today, the visitors with 13 World Cuppers won’t be taking chances against the hosts who would go all out for nothing short of a miracle.
India, hoping to play positive soccer, would try to overcome the physical disadvantage and star pressure, while Saudi Arabia would try to defeat unfavorable weather and take home full three points.
The Al-Sogours, meaning falcons as the Saudis are called, are in full flight with a strong team. However, in a land where rains come only once a year, the monsoon could upset the advantage, they fear.
“We have much respect for the Indian team. We are not taking them lightly. But at the end of the day we want to take home three points,” Kingdom’s Brazilian coach Marcos Paqueta said here Monday. “The weather is not conducive for playing good football. The clayey soil is not the right ground,” felt Marcos, who refuses to attach much importance to statistics.
The last time Saudi Arabia met India, in the 1982 Asian Games, India lost 1-2.
Since then they have met twice and India have lost on both occasions. India have since not progressed, while Saudi Arabia have won three Asian Cups in 1984, 1988 and 1996 and played in four World Cups since 1998.
While today would be another day, Marcos depends on players like midfielder Muhammad Massad, leftback Hussain Sulaimani and goalkeeper Mabrouk Zaid.
One of the youngest members of the squad, the versatile 22-year-old Massad can operate from various positions and is considered one of the most promising Asian players.
Veteran leftback Hussain, who played three World Cups from 1998 is another player on whom the coach depends for his accurate passes and intelligent movements. Zaid is also consistently excellent and has kept a clean sheet in six matches during the World Cup qualifiers.
On the other hand, India received a boost with the return of Baichung Bhutia in their ranks as captain. Shanmugam Venkatesh will be his deputy. “We are very happy that Baichung is back and Venkatesh is only too glad to be his deputy,” India’s English coach Bob Houghton said. He said despite the presence of 13 players with World Cup experience in the Saudi side “we are not overestimating them”.
“We don’t plan to take them any more than they are worth. They are a very strong side and we will like to give our best shot,” he said.
Asked if there would be pressure on India, he said: “India did not have a good start in the AFC Cup campaign (India lost both its matches against Japan and Yemen). The only thing we can do from there is to improve.”
“We need to get success in order to gain confidence and that will be very difficult against a tough team like Saudi Arabia. But we will try,” he said. “Maybe this was not the right team to begin our campaign. But we will play positive soccer. The effort will be to play mostly in the other half and we know that will not be easy.
“We will try not to concede goals, but at the same time we would like to score some. So the approach will certainly not be defensive. We know winning would be difficult, but fighting and competing won’t,” he said.
“Our main problem will not be strategy, but the physique. They are taller than us and will be dangerous in set pieces and then they are better built and will run harder, faster and stronger.
“If we can get around them in this we do have a chance,” he added.
In all likelihood India will stick to 4-4-2 formation, with Surkumar Singh, N.P. Pradeep, N.S. Manju and Deepak Mandal manning the defence. The bulk of the midfield load will likely be taken up by Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Rennedy Singh, Venkatesh and Steven Dias. The forward lineup will feature Baichung with Manjit Singh, who looked sharp during the practice.
Teams:
India: (Goalkeepers): Sandip Nandy, Subhashis Roy Chowdhury, Subrata Paul (Defenders): Surkumar Singh, N.S. Manju, N.P. Pradeep Deepak Mandal, Sanjeev Maria, Samir Naik, Anupam Sarkar, Habibur Rehman Mondal and Narinder Singh
(Midfielders): Shanmugam Venkatesh, Steven Dias, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Manjit Singh, Rennedy Singh and Bibiano Fernandez.
(Forwards): Bhaichung Bhutia (captain), Fredy Mascarenhas, Sunil Chetri and Alvito D’Cunha Coach: Bob Houghton
Saudi Arabia: (Goalkeepers): Mustafa Reda A. Malaeka, Ibrahim Muhammad Khouja, Yasser Abdullah Al-Mosailem, Mabrouk Z.M. Zaid (Defenders): Ahmed Fahad Al-Dosari, Muhammad Takar Fallatah, Abdul Aziz Muhammad Khatharan, Hussain Omar Sulaimani(Capt), Naif Al-Qadi (Midfielders): Alghannam Abdullatif, Saud Ali Khariri, Muhammad Massad Al-Mowallad, Abdullah Alghamdi Al-Omar, Irahim Autef Abdoh, Taiser Jabir Al-Jassam, Alla Ahmad Al-Mosailem (Forward): Muhammad Ameen Haider, Yasser Saeed Al-Qahtani, Eysa Mohammad Al-Mahyani, Saleh Bashar Al-Dosari Coach: Marcos Paqueta.
