Mumbai:
Head coach Igor Stimac hopes Indian fans will pack the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata for Sunil Chhetri’s final international match– World Cup qualification match against Kuwait on June 6. The match against Kuwait will bring an end to Chhetri’s spectacular 19-year international career, during which he became India’s highest goalscorer with 94 goals. At the end of his career, he will be India’s most-capped player, having played 151 matches. A victory over Kuwait will also put India in a great chance to advance to the third round of World Cup qualifiers for the first time in its history. “Having in mind the importance of the game – with us being perhaps only a win away from qualifying for the third round for the first time, and it being Sunil Chhetri’s farewell game – we expect the Salt Lake Stadium to be packed,” Stimac said.
“I am sure that our supporters will reach Kolkata from all parts of India to help our boys win the game and say thanks and goodbye to Sunil. I am very confident it’s going to be emotional and hopefully, we will find a way to celebrate together after the final whistle,” he said in a release from the All India Football Federation. The team has been in training camp here for about two weeks. The first week was primarily about increasing fitness as the players approached the finish of a demanding season. It consisted of many physical exams and aerobic exercises. “The boys are doing well. It has been proven more than once that a long camp always helps us. We are working on various aspects of the game, both offensive and defensive,” said the head coach.
“Our fitness levels are getting better each day, and now we enter the phase of working on our tactics. From Monday onwards, we are going to work on positioning, set pieces and transitions.” The Blue Tigers were due to leave for Kolkata on June 2, but they have moved their trip to the West Bengal metropolis to May 29 to allow for a full week in the city and to better adjust to the circumstances. “It’s obviously hot and humid here, but we enjoy every training session. The facilities and hospitality are amazing here. But still, we have decided to leave for Kolkata a few days earlier than planned so we can adjust to the humidity better and prepare for the crucial game,” said Stimac.
