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Without doubt, the most important goal for the Indian Team this year will be to qualify for the AFC Challenge Cup. Wim Koevermans’ team have been put alongside Myanmar, Guam and Chinese Taipei in the qualifiers and will want to get through with impressive performance before trying to better their disastrous last year’s AFC Cup display, where they failed to score a single goal.
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Central to all this is our skipper, Sunil Chettri. Let’s face it, Sporting Club de Portugal B didn’t need Sunil Chettri. The Churchill Brothers, on the other hand: a little bit, yes. But team India need him, desperately. And that is why his loan move to the Goan team is a blessing in disguise. The chance to play regularly, practice with a few regular faces and join the team in the national camp will benefit the Indian striker immensely.
Sunil Chettri games for Sporting Club B
Against Arouca – won 1-2: Did not play
Against Trofense – drew 1-1: Did not play
Against Freamunde – won 0-2: Played the last 3 minutes
Against FC Porto B – won 2-0: Did not play
Against Santa Clara – won 2-0: Did not play
Against Braga B – won 3-2: Played the last 2 minutes
Against Benifica B – won 1-3: Did not play
Against Naval – drew 2-2: Did not play
Against Feirense – drew 2-2: Did not play
Against Uniao Madeira – won 3-2: Was brought on in the 52nd minute
Against Tondela – won 1-2: Did not play
Against Leixoes – drew 0-0: Did not play
Against Portimonense – lost 1-0: Did not play
Against Guimaraes drew – 0-0: Did not play
Against Atletico CP – drew 0-0: Did not play
India’s game against Palestine in Kochin recently, in which the hosts lost 4-2, showed how incapable they were when Chettri is not in top form. The fact that he was subbed in the 2nd half was enough to suggest the kind of game he had, and India’s lack of ambition in trying to push for a fightback after that shows how important he is to the team, even if he is not at the top of his game.
Chettri, along with Sandip Nandy, Denzil Franco, Lenny Rodrigues, will be part of the squad for the game against Hong Kong side Kitchee FC and a good performance there will go a long way in keeping the 28-year-old is good form for the all-important national team encounters.
Chettri is no doubt, India’s most prolific striker at the moment and it would do no good for him to stay on the bench at Sporting Club B. In his time at the Portugal club, he could only muster up 3 appearances and that too from the bench and in the dying minutes of the games. He spent most of his time as a mere spectator and for him to have a couple of games under his belt before going into the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers will be a huge boost for the Blue Tigers.
