ID :
75993
Wed, 08/19/2009 - 09:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/75993
The shortlink copeid
India looking for hat-trick of titles under Bob in Nehru Cup
New Delhi, Aug 18 (PTI) Aiming for a title hat-trick
under Coach Bob Houghton but hampered by lack of international
match exposure, defending champions India will bid for a
second consecutive Nehru Cup, taking on Lebanon in a tricky
opener of the five-nation tournament here Wednesday.
Under Houghton, India won the 2007 edition of the Nehru
Cup before clinching the AFC Challenge Cup at home, which gave
the country a berth in the elite AFC Asian Cup, to be held in
Doha in January 2011, after 24 years.
The Nehru Cup will give Houghton a chance to test his
boys how they measure up to at least two quality sides --
Syria and Lebanon -- who are now vying for a place in the
Asian Cup.
Bhaichung Bhutia and Co. are a confident lot after a
seven-week training tour of Dubai and Barcelona. They played
friendly games against Spanish third division sides in their
month-long sojourn in Barcelona where they used top class
facilities at Nou Camp.
The sore point though would be the lack of international
fixtures. The Indians played their last such match in January
though Houghton claimed that the Spanish third division sides
"were of our level".
Houghton himself picked last edition runners-up Syria as
the favourites to win the tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium,
considering that the West Asians are inside top 100 in FIFA
rankings at 95th and have beaten sides like China besides
drawing Korea this year.
Having come without six regular international players,
including a star striker, Syria may not be that formidable but
their coach Fajir Ibrahim said he wants to win the tournament
to boost the team's morale for the ongoing 2011 AFC Asian Cup
qualifiers, which resumes in November.
"This tournament is a part of our preparations for the
2011 AFC Asian Cup. We have won two out of two matches in the
qualifiers. We are not targetting the Nehru Cup title but
obviously we want to win as it would give us a morale
booster," Ibrahim said.
"India are the team to beat for us. They are the
defending champions and they have the home advantage," he
added.
India though, do not want to think beyond the tournament
opener against Lebanon. A win against Lebanon would give the
home team a big chance to go into the final on August 31 as
two other sides -- Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka -- in the
five-team round-robin are comparatively weaker sides.
Lebanon though would be a tough team to beat even though
they would be without four regular national players, including
Ramez Dayoub, who signed up with Kolkata giants East Bengal
this season.
"Lebanon are a good side. In our last two meetings with
them we lost 1-4 and drew 2-2 (in the 2010 World Cup
qualifiers in October 2007). So, our first match tomorrow is
very important," Houghton said. PTI
under Coach Bob Houghton but hampered by lack of international
match exposure, defending champions India will bid for a
second consecutive Nehru Cup, taking on Lebanon in a tricky
opener of the five-nation tournament here Wednesday.
Under Houghton, India won the 2007 edition of the Nehru
Cup before clinching the AFC Challenge Cup at home, which gave
the country a berth in the elite AFC Asian Cup, to be held in
Doha in January 2011, after 24 years.
The Nehru Cup will give Houghton a chance to test his
boys how they measure up to at least two quality sides --
Syria and Lebanon -- who are now vying for a place in the
Asian Cup.
Bhaichung Bhutia and Co. are a confident lot after a
seven-week training tour of Dubai and Barcelona. They played
friendly games against Spanish third division sides in their
month-long sojourn in Barcelona where they used top class
facilities at Nou Camp.
The sore point though would be the lack of international
fixtures. The Indians played their last such match in January
though Houghton claimed that the Spanish third division sides
"were of our level".
Houghton himself picked last edition runners-up Syria as
the favourites to win the tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium,
considering that the West Asians are inside top 100 in FIFA
rankings at 95th and have beaten sides like China besides
drawing Korea this year.
Having come without six regular international players,
including a star striker, Syria may not be that formidable but
their coach Fajir Ibrahim said he wants to win the tournament
to boost the team's morale for the ongoing 2011 AFC Asian Cup
qualifiers, which resumes in November.
"This tournament is a part of our preparations for the
2011 AFC Asian Cup. We have won two out of two matches in the
qualifiers. We are not targetting the Nehru Cup title but
obviously we want to win as it would give us a morale
booster," Ibrahim said.
"India are the team to beat for us. They are the
defending champions and they have the home advantage," he
added.
India though, do not want to think beyond the tournament
opener against Lebanon. A win against Lebanon would give the
home team a big chance to go into the final on August 31 as
two other sides -- Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka -- in the
five-team round-robin are comparatively weaker sides.
Lebanon though would be a tough team to beat even though
they would be without four regular national players, including
Ramez Dayoub, who signed up with Kolkata giants East Bengal
this season.
"Lebanon are a good side. In our last two meetings with
them we lost 1-4 and drew 2-2 (in the 2010 World Cup
qualifiers in October 2007). So, our first match tomorrow is
very important," Houghton said. PTI
