With India being pitched against UAE in the second round of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers, coach Bob Houghton gives his opinion on the same…
By Rahul Bali
While facing UAE is by no means an easy task for Team India on their road to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, coach Bob Houghton preferred to look on the brighter side of things and hinted that facing the 11th ranked nation was a better prospect than coming up against the likes of Saudi Arabia, Iran or Iraq.
“We have got a good draw but I must say it could have got worse for us. We have a good group of younger players from the Challenge Cup qualifiers and if we get a good preparation, we can have a go at UAE,” said a confident Houghton.
“We have got a good draw but I must say it could have got worse for us. We have a good group of younger players from the Challenge Cup qualifiers and if we get a good preparation, we can have a go at UAE,” said a confident Houghton.
The English coach will take heart from the fact that India did manage to beat the Gulf nation 1-0 in Bangalore back in 2001 but lost the away fixture with the same scoreline. However the last time the two teams took to field at Al Wasl Stadium on November 18 2010, it was a day to forget as the Men in Blue were thrashed 5-0.
Houghton was pleased with his young squad he took to the AFC Challenge Cup 2012 qualifiers who not only managed to qualify for the main tournament but also won their group which comprised of Chinese Taipei, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
“In the Challenge Cup qualifiers, we left out a lot of our senior players and roped in those who were with us during the Asian Cup and didn't play much like Rakesh Masih and Baldeep Singh alongside the younger ones who did very well especially Jeje, Denzil (Franco) and others. It was a good to win the group with a young team.
"For the World Cup Qualifiers, we will combine the young and the older team and a good preparation would mean we can do very well,” concluded Houghton.
Houghton was pleased with his young squad he took to the AFC Challenge Cup 2012 qualifiers who not only managed to qualify for the main tournament but also won their group which comprised of Chinese Taipei, Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
“In the Challenge Cup qualifiers, we left out a lot of our senior players and roped in those who were with us during the Asian Cup and didn't play much like Rakesh Masih and Baldeep Singh alongside the younger ones who did very well especially Jeje, Denzil (Franco) and others. It was a good to win the group with a young team.
"For the World Cup Qualifiers, we will combine the young and the older team and a good preparation would mean we can do very well,” concluded Houghton.
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil – Asian Qualifiers
Round 1
Malaysia vs. Chinese Taipei
Bangladesh vs. Pakistan
Cambodia vs. Laos
Sri Lanka vs. Philippines
Afghanistan vs. Palestine
Vietnam vs. Macau
Nepal vs. Timor Leste
Mongolia vs. Myanmar
First leg, June 29
Second leg, July 3
Round 2
Thailand vs. Afghanistan/Palestine
Lebanon vs. Bangladesh/Pakistan
China vs. Cambodia/Laos
Turkmenistan vs. Indonesia
Kuwait vs. Sri Lanka/Philippines
Oman vs. Mongolia/Myanmar
Saudi Arabia vs. Hong Kong
Iran vs. Maldives
Syria vs. Tajikistan
Qatar vs. Vietnam/Macau
Iraq vs. Yemen
Singapore vs. Malaysia/Chinese Taipei
Uzbekistan vs. Kyrgyzstan
UAE vs. India
Jordan s. Nepal/Timor Leste
First leg, July 23
Second leg, July 28
Round 3
September 2, September 6, October 11, November 11, November 15, 2011; February 29, 2012
Round 4
June 3, June 8, June 12, September 11, October 16, November 14, 2012; March 26, June 4, June 11, June 18, 2013
Round 5 (AFC playoff)
September 6 and September 10, 2013
Round 6 (Inter-continental playoff)
October 15 and November 19, 2013
Round 1
Malaysia vs. Chinese Taipei
Bangladesh vs. Pakistan
Cambodia vs. Laos
Sri Lanka vs. Philippines
Afghanistan vs. Palestine
Vietnam vs. Macau
Nepal vs. Timor Leste
Mongolia vs. Myanmar
First leg, June 29
Second leg, July 3
Round 2
Thailand vs. Afghanistan/Palestine
Lebanon vs. Bangladesh/Pakistan
China vs. Cambodia/Laos
Turkmenistan vs. Indonesia
Kuwait vs. Sri Lanka/Philippines
Oman vs. Mongolia/Myanmar
Saudi Arabia vs. Hong Kong
Iran vs. Maldives
Syria vs. Tajikistan
Qatar vs. Vietnam/Macau
Iraq vs. Yemen
Singapore vs. Malaysia/Chinese Taipei
Uzbekistan vs. Kyrgyzstan
UAE vs. India
Jordan s. Nepal/Timor Leste
First leg, July 23
Second leg, July 28
Round 3
September 2, September 6, October 11, November 11, November 15, 2011; February 29, 2012
Round 4
June 3, June 8, June 12, September 11, October 16, November 14, 2012; March 26, June 4, June 11, June 18, 2013
Round 5 (AFC playoff)
September 6 and September 10, 2013
Round 6 (Inter-continental playoff)
October 15 and November 19, 2013
0 comments:
Post a Comment