The national football team’s preparation camp for next month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kuwait and Qatar commenced in Bhubaneswar on Saturday. The coaching staff with 19 players had reached the capital of Odisha a day earlier. The remaining 13 players are expected on May 15. Sunil Chhetri, not in Bhubaneswar for family reasons, will also join on that day.
🚨Updates from India’s Camp at Bhubaneswar
List of players who have reported to Bhubaneswar for the Senior Men’s NT Camp:
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh.
Defenders: Nikhil Poojary, Lalchungnunga, Jay Gupta, Amey Ranawade, Narender, Muhammad Hammad.… pic.twitter.com/wClgRDTrRj
— RevSportz (@RevSportz) May 11, 2024
The players underwent an intense training session. Brandon Fernandes was present but did not participate. A source told RevSportz that the FC Goa midfielder was suffering from knee pain. He is undergoing rehab with the physio and is likely to recover shortly. In the absence of Apuia, coach Igor Stimac is likely to rely on Brandon in the crucial fixtures. He was impressive in the ISL.
India play Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 and travel to Qatar for the last match on June 11. Second in the group with four points from four matches, India have to gain points from these matches to make it to the next round. Defeat against Afghanistan has dented their chances and they will be eyeing a win against Kuwait, having beaten them in the away game.
Swag se Swagat! 😎@GurpreetGK #IndianFootball ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/mMf5CACbiV
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) May 11, 2024
The players spent time at the gym on Saturday morning, followed by on-field training in the evening. It was a memorable day for first-time India probables like Edmund Lalrindika, Muhammad Hammad, David Lalhlansanga, Parthib Gogoi and Jithin MS. Gogoi has played for several age-group national teams. From the original list of 41 players, nine won’t be joining the camp due to injuries or personal reasons.