New Delhi: It is back to where it started from. India and Afghanistan meet again in the SAFF Championship 2011 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on sunday after their Group A league match up , but this time it is the finals of the flagship footballing event of the South Asian region. The stakes would be much higher unlike the previous match where they played out a 1-1 draw and both the teams would go out all guns blazing to emerge victorious.
India are eyeing the title for the record sixth time and made it to the finals for the third occasions in a row look favorites on the papers, but considering Afghanistan current year's performance they can't be written off too. Afghanistan who made it to the finals of any major tournament for the first time, would come at India hard and not let the defending champions a easy walk on the park.
India after a sluggish start to the tournament had picked up really well in the tournament and got their act together before coming into the finals. India's star striking pair of Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lakhpeklua would have a very height weight to carry on their shoulders as the whole Indian attack would be surrounded around the duo. Sunil had been on a roll and has already scored six goals to equal I.M Vijayan's record for most number of SAFF goals in the year 1997 at Kathmandu. But his partner Jeje looked little sluggish in the tournament as he missed some easy opportunities in the tournament. Indian midfield which looked liitle off colours in the opening game, but gelled well as the tournament progressed, while the defence line's would be spearheaded by the prolific Syed Nabi who has earned appreaciation of everyone with constant moves in the left flank.
Even though India is playing in the finals, they are taking it like any other game and it not taking any pressure on them. " We are preparing the same way just like any other game, and the there is no pressure on the boys," said Savio Madeira. " " Boys have done a great job and I am satified with their performance," he added.
Madeira however denied to tag Afghanistan as underdogs and stressed that none of the teams could be tagged as favorites into the finals. " No teams was a clear favorite in the tournament as all the teams were equally good. Afghanistan is a good team and they improved with every match. We are not taking them lightly," said Madeira.
Afghanistan's coach Mohammad Yusuf Kargar was impressed was Sunil's performance and said that he had special plans to tackle Sunil but also emphaisezed on the point that it is not only Sunil but all the players would be dealt with the same importance.
Afghanistan's striker Balal Arezo would be a threat to India's road to sixth champonship and Madeira would definetely have sleepless nights thinking of strategy to come up with strategy to tackle him. The misses agaisnt Nepal in the semi finals is bothering him the Afghan coach for sure but than the he however refused to worry about it too much and hopes to come up with something to rectify it.And also they have an advantage over India in physical terms and would really give India a run for their money.
Probable line up:
India: Karanjit Singh; Mahesh Gawli, Nirmal Chettri, Gouramangi Singh, Rocus Lamare; Anthony Pereira, Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda, Syed Nabi, Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpelua.
Afghanistan: Hameedullah Yousufzari; Haroon Fakhrudin, Faisal safa, Djelaludin Sharityar and Moqadar Faizullah; Mohammed Esrafil, Yousef Mashriqi, Ahmed Arash Hatifle and Waheed Ahmad; Sanjar Ahmadi, Balal Arezo.