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The year 2018 was an eventful one for Indian football fans. While the senior team won the Intercontinental Cup and held Asian giants China and Oman to a 0-0 draw, Bibiano Fernandes and his U-16 boys came agonizingly close to qualifying for the 2019 U-17 World Cup.
There were a lot of negatives in the leap year as well. Gourav Mukhi's age fiasco became a matter of farce throughout the world and Star Sports' death sentence to I-League drew sharp criticism from every nook and corner.
Also Read: The Best and Worst Moments of 2018 in Indian Football
Apart from the ongoing I-League and Indian Super League, there are a lot of tournaments to keep the fans engaged. Let's hope that the teams representing India do well in these.
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#5 2019 AFC Asian Cup
India will be making their fourth appearance in the AFC Asian Cup in UAE after missing out on the previous edition. The Blue Tigers will kick-start their campaign against Thailand on 6th January, followed by the hosts UAE on 10th January, and Bahrain on 14th January. Even if India finishes third in their group, they can progress to the knockouts as four out of six third-placed teams will make it to the final 16.
The onus will be on Sunil Chhetri and his comrades to ensure India has a respectable campaign. In the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, India lost all their three matches with a margin of three goals or more. However, they are placed in a relatively easier group this year, and should at least not have a disastrous sojourn.
This tournament will be the litmus test for Stephen Constantine, who is under immense pressure to guide the national team at least to the knockouts of the tournament. The Englishman has overlooked a lot of deserving players and selected players who are not enjoying the best of form in the squad.
Also Read: 2019 AFC Asian Cup- The Unpicked XI for India
If Constantine's tactics prevail in the continental extravaganza, he should be handed a contract extension with a hefty paycheck. Otherwise, AIFF will have no issue in parting ways with him.
AFC U-23 Championship Qualifiers
If the AIFF decides to part ways with Stephen Constantine after the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, the very first task for the new head coach will be guiding India to the 2020 AFC U-23 Championship. The qualifiers will begin on 22 March and end on 26 March.
India has failed to qualify for the main tournament since its inception in 2013. In the 2018 qualifiers played in 2017, the Blue Tigers lost to Syria 0-2, Qatar 0-1, and defeated Turkmenistan 3-1. Only players born on or after 1 January 1997 are eligible for the tournament and, Anirudh Thapa, Vinit Rai, Ashique Kuruniyan, and Sarthak Golui will play in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
Moreover, the main tournament also acts as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. Right now, India qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics sounds preposterous. But, if India manages to qualify for the knockout stages of the main tournament, it would at least ensure that Indian football is on the right track.
Women's Olympic Qualifiers
The Blue Tigresses made the nation proud when they finished second in their group, which contained Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar, in the first round of the 2020 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament albeit losing to Myanmar. Although the format of the tournament had been tweaked, we shouldn't underestimate their performances.
The second round will begin in April 2019 with opponents and actual dates still unknown. The group will consist of four teams with the table toppers joining Australia, China PR, North Korea, South Korea, and Thailand in the third round.
The AIFF has chalked out a 100-day plan for the team, which has already started. The preparations are in full swing and, the ongoing plans are that a four-nation tournament will be held in Cuttack.
Coach Maymol Rocky has also called up a lot of youngsters in the camp. Even if they don't make the final list, the experience gained would be invaluable.
AFC Cup and AFC Champions League Qualifiers
The I-League and ISL defending champions Minerva Punjab and Chennaiyin FC are having a season to forget. However, they can find solace in the continental tournaments.
Minerva Punjab will be kickstarting their 2019 AFC Champions League qualifiers campaign against Iran's Saipa FC on 12th February. If they go past the mighty Iranian club, they would have to cross swords with Qatar's Al-Rayyan SC seven days later to make it to the main tournament.
A loss in either of the matches won't hurt the I-League champions but they have already sealed their spot in the 2019 AFC Cup. But, that isn't the case with Chennaiyin FC. The ISL champions will have to battle out against either Colombo FC or Transport United in a double-legged match on 6th March and 13th March to make it to the Group E.
If Minerva loses and Chennaiyin FC win, both teams will be in the Group E of the 2019 AFC Cup. They will have their task cut out against Bangladesh's Dhaka Abahani and Nepal's Manang Marshyangdi Club for a place in the Inter-Zonal semi-finals.
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Although the dates of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers aren't out yet, going by the usual norms, it should begin from this year.
In the Road to Russia, India had to play a qualifier to the qualifier against Nepal owing to their poor rank. However, that shouldn't be the case this time as the Blue Tigers are currently ranked 15th in Asia.
Also Read: The history of the Indian football team in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
They should make a direct entry in the group stages of the qualifiers this time and, if they are lucky, they could face familiar foes from the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Although qualifying for the main tournament sounds far-fetched at the moment, let's hope that India produces a respectable campaign this time.
How do you think the Indian representatives will fare in each of the tournaments? Do let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
