Chhetri recalls India's 'fantastic' 2019 AFC Asian Cup victory ahead of Thailand friendly
The previous two matches, however, were both won by India in 2019. A sensational 4-1 win at the AFC Asian Cup 2019 in Abu Dhabi, before a narrow 1-0 victory to win bronze at the King's Cup on Thai soil.
Sunil Chhetri, who scored the first two goals in the Asian Cup victory, reminisced about the performance that ended India's 55-year wait for a win at the continental showpiece event.
"That was a long time back. What I remember of the game was that the team was outstanding. (Anirudh) Thapa was amazing. So was Udanta (Singh Kumam). The defence was amazing. Ashique (Kuruniyan) started with me, and he was good. The whole team was really, really good in that game," he told the AIFF's official website.
"I think at that time, Thailand were probably better than us on paper by a mile. We were underdogs in that game, and to win the game the way we did — it wasn't just four goals but the way we held ourselves and dominated the game — was really fantastic," said Chhetri, who became the first Indian to score at two Asian Cups in that game.
The 40-year-old added that it serves as a source of motivation for the Blue Tigers as they prepare to face Thailand again in the FIFA International Friendly on June 4 at the Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani.
"That's also a marker for us to know that on a good day, if we work hard, that's what we can achieve. That game was special because a lot of young people did really well. So, we are taking a lot of positivity and inspiration from the game," said Chhetri.
While India are currently placed 127th in the FIFA Rankings, Thailand are 99th. The Changsuek have risen 14 places since Japanese coach Masatada Ishii took charge in December 2023 and led them to the round of 16 of the Asian Cup a month later. Except for missing out on the third round of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after finishing behind Korea Republic and China in the group, 2024 was a fairly successful year for Thailand. They won the King's Cup after beating Philippines and Syria, and were finalists in the ASEAN Championship, losing 3-5 on aggregate to Vietnam.
For the Changsuek, the friendly against India serves as preparation for their AFC Asian Cup Final Round Qualifier against Turkmenistan. Thailand began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Sri Lanka in March — a game the island nation 'did not deserve to lose,' according to Manolo Marquez.
The notable names in the Thai squad are captain and midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin, who is the most experienced player with 70 caps, forward Supachai Chaided, Swedish-born defender Elias Dolah, midfielder Ben Davis, who has three goals in just six caps, and Italy-born defender Marco Ballini, with a towering height of two metres.
Among those who ply their trade outside Thailand are midfielder Jaroensak Wonggorn (Cerezo Osaka in the Japanese top tier), midfielder Ekanit Panya (Ehime FC in the Japanese second tier) and defender Elias Dolah (Bali United in the Indonesian top tier). Domestically, BG Pathum United and Muangthong United contribute the most to the Thai squad, with five and four players each, respectively.
Indian winger Lallianzuala Chhangte shared his thoughts on Thailand, which will be a solid test before the Asian Cup Qualifier against Hong Kong.
"We played against Thailand multiple times. They are a good team, a hungry one. They like to make runs behind. They are also a team that want to play with the ball. But again, we are totally focused on ourselves. It's all about executing what we have been doing on the training pitch in the match. And if we can do it, I believe we can win these two matches (against Thailand and Hong Kong)," said the 27-year-old.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
32 minutes ago
- Business Standard
AIFF technical team to shortlist coach candidates in midweek meeting
The technical committee of the AIFF, headed by former captain IM Vijayan, will meet on Wednesday to shortlist the candidates for the appointment of the head coach of the senior men's national team after the federation received 170 applications for the vacant post. After Spaniard Manolo Marquez and the All India Football Federation mutually agreed to part ways earlier this month following the team's downward spiral, the national body invited applications for the top job with July 13 as deadline. "The technical committee will meet on July 23, review the applications and prepare a shortlist to be given to the AIFF executive committee. The AIFF EC will then take the final call (on the appointment)," a source privy to the development told PTI. It is learnt that the AIFF is in favour of making the appointment quickly as there is a FIFA international match window in September and India play their AFC Asian Cup qualifying round games on October 9 and 14 -- against Singapore home and away. In this scenario, the shortlisted candidates may not be called for interviews which will take much more time before the actual appointment. The AIFF has already written to the applicants about how much they want (as remuneration) and what is their vision of the national team. "It's not the start of season and so the AIFF has to appoint a coach quickly. But it is up to the TC to decide if they want to interview the candidates. "It's likely that the TC will shortlist the candidates and present it to the EC for the appointment. The TC will present the EC the details through a presentation why they are shortlisting the candidates." Then, it is up to the executive committee to take a call on the appointment. The EC can also ask the TC to recommend more names and ask further questions, the source said. Other members of the technical committee include Shabbir Ali, Victor Amalraj, Climax Lawrence, Harjinder Singh and Santosh Singh. Meanwhile, among the 170 candidates who have applied for the job are some big names like former Liverpool stars Robbie Fowler -- who was briefly in charge of East Bengal also -- and Harry Kewell, as well as Peter Segrt, former coach of Tajikistan, Maldives and Afghanistan. Former India head coach Stephen Constantine has also applied for the post. The 62-year-old Anglo-Cypriot has been in charge of the Indian team twice earlier -- from 2002 to 2005, and from 2015 to the Asian Cup in 2019. Constantine has also coached East Bengal in the Indian Super League in 2022-23, and was till recently head coach of Pakistan. He has earlier worked as head coach of countries like Nepal, Malawi and Rwanda. Not many Indians have applied for the job with only Khalid Jamil, Sanjoy Sen and Santosh Kashyap being the top coaches among them. Sen won the 2024-25 Santosh Trophy with Bengal and the I-League with Mohun Bagan in 2014-15. Former Mohammedan Sporting coach Andrey Chernyshov, Odisha FC's Sergio Lobera, Inter Kashi gaffer Antonio Lopez Habas, an ISL winner with ATK and Mohun Bagan Super Giant, and Staikos Vergetis, I-League winner with Punjab FC, are also in the fray.
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Al Hilal withdraws from the Saudi Super Cup due to hectic schedule
Al Hilal is to skip the 2025-26 Saudi Super Cup, set for next month, amid its hectic schedule. Al Hilal finished the recent Saudi Pro League season second behind champion Al-Ittihad in late May, having been knocked out of the King's Cup quarterfinals and AFC Champions League elite semis. The Riyadh-based club then headed to the United States, where it kicked off its FIFA Club World Cup 2025 campaign on June 18 against giant Real Madrid. It made it to the knockout stages, where it stunned Manchester City in the last 16 before losing to Fluminense in the quarterfinals on July 4. ALSO READ | Liverpool agrees deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt, according to reports The Saudi Super Cup is to be held between August 19-23 in Hong Kong, with the league campaign usually getting underway in late August. Its CWC campaign and following flight complications 'reduced the players' annual leave to only 24 days in the event of withdrawal, and to 21 days if the club participated in the Super Cup,' with the rules granting them 'a minimum of 28 days of annual leave,' the club said in a statement. Al Hilal was forced to postpone its pre-season preparations, 'which further increased the competitive imbalance among participating clubs,' the statement ran, citing a letter sent to the local football federation. The Saudi federation (SAFF) said, in response, it 'will begin taking the necessary measures in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations through the relevant committees,' without providing more details.
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Time of India
Against all odds, these para athletes from Karnataka are chasing glory
Bengaluru: In a world where para sports are still fighting for equal footing, three women from Karnataka are quietly rewriting the narrative — not just with milestones and medals, but with grit, grace, and relentless hope. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They've fallen. Been frowned upon. Told they couldn't do it. But Rakshitha Raju, Harshita Tater, and Shilpa Kanchugarkoppalu were determined to script their stories and step into the limelight instead of shying away from it. Hailing from different corners of Karnataka, these three para athletes carry the weight of struggles many will not see. For all three, the athletics track became a place of freedom. Their journeys are marked by quiet courage, unbreakable will, and a belief that they are more than the labels the world gave them. At the recently concluded Indian Open Para Athletics International Championship in Bengaluru, the trio reminded all that the human spirit — when pushed — can soar far beyond what the eye can see. Rakshitha Raju When Rakshitha lost her farmer-parents at a young age, the world seemed stacked against her. Her mother Geetha passed away when she was two years old, and eight years later, she lost her father, Raju. Raised by a deaf grandmother, Lalithamma, who works on a farm in Mudigere, the Paris Paralympian found herself navigating a childhood shadowed by social alienation and financial burden. Born blind, she recalls being mocked and written off. "They would tell me I'm a waste," the 24-year-old recalled, "But my grandmother, being disabled herself, understood me." At the age of 8, she got her first taste of running. A schoolteacher at Asha Kiran Blind School in Chikkamagaluru noticed her sprinting and encouraged her to pursue athletics. Despite the odds, the two-time Asian Games medallist clung to her passion. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Her resilience and talent eventually caught the attention of her coach and guide runner — Rahul Balakrishna — at the national championships in Delhi, and he invited her to train at the Sports Authority of India in Bengaluru. "He has been my biggest support," she said gratefully. But Rakshitha's dreams don't end on the track. Off the field, she harbours an equally ambitious goal — to crack the IAS (Indian Administrative Service) examination. "I love studying," she said. "Becoming an IAS officer is my dream. I'm not eligible for IPS because I'm blind, but IAS allows me to serve." Harshita Tater For Bengaluru girl Harshita, sport wasn't a childhood dream — it was a lifeline that emerged during the chaos of Covid-19. As a medical student helping with patient care, the T37-category athlete (those with cerebral palsy, a neurological condition that affects movement and coordination) began running to improve her lung capacity. What started as a coping mechanism quickly transformed into a calling. A year on, Harshita, who has made her mark at the national stage in 200m and 400m and is now enjoying a fine showing in long jump, made a bold decision — to leave MBBS behind to chase the finish line instead. "Letting go of medicine was tough," admitted the athlete, who suffered a brain clot after a fall as a baby. "It was my childhood dream. But running gave me something I had never felt before — a sense of purpose," said Harshita, who was spotted by coach Gurkaran Singh, who continues to train her along with Vikram Aiyappa. She switched to studying psychology, determined to one day blend sport and mental health into a meaningful career. Life as a para athlete, however, hasn't been easy. "You don't have a fixed calendar. There's no personal life." Yet, she has no regrets. What keeps her going is the small, daily satisfaction of pushing her limits and the joy of seeing her young nephew proudly running around with her medals. With her sights firmly set on the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles, Harshita is determined to break into the world's top 10. "Discipline over motivation," said the 25-year-old, whose father has an electrical business and mother is a homemaker. "That's what sport has taught me," said the confessed foodie, who is running not just for medals, but also to inspire, include, and redefine possibility. Shilpa Kanchugarkoppalu Shilpa, a para athlete from Krishnarajanagar in Mysuru district, is proof it is never too late to chase a dream. At 29, under the guidance of coach Raghavendra SG, she took her first steps into sport — on a prosthetic leg. Today, at 36, she is one of India's most promising para athletes in shot put and discus throw. A childhood accident led to the amputation of her leg, but Shilpa, daughter of a farmer, never let that stop her. Initially a Kannada teacher, she gave up her job to dedicate herself to sport. "I started playing volleyball first, but it was a team effort. In athletics, I win or lose on my own — and that gives me strength," said Shilpa, who competes in the F57 category (athletes with lower limb impairments). Shilpa trains at Sree Kanteerava Stadium under coach ED Eshan, and has won several medals at national and international events. Yet, financial challenges loom large. Coming from an economically backward background, she struggles to afford basic gear, let alone expensive equipment or artificial limbs. Despite it all, she finds joy in sport. Now preparing for the upcoming Asian Para Games, Shilpa continues to battle the odds — not just on the field, but off it too — with quiet determination and unwavering passion. All she seeks is a chance and a little support.
