Wim Koevermans names 20-players squad for India's Singapore friendly

India national football coach Wim Koevermans has named his final 20 players for the international friendly on October 16 against Singapore at the Choa Chu Kang Stadium in the city state. The match kick-off is slated for 19.45 local (17.15 IST).With the I-League having started Team India will be leaving for Singapore in three batches from Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi on Saturday, October 13. After gathering in Singapore Team India will train at the match venue on October 14/15 before playing the match on October 16.

Dutchman Wim Koevermans who led India to their third successive Nehru Cup triumph a few weeks back said he’s looking forward to the international friendly against Singapore. “We need to assess ourselves. We need more such matches,” Koevermans said.

India captain Sunil Chhetri, who is presently in New Delhi on a break from Sporting B in Portugal added, “It feels nice to think that I will be playing for the National Team along with all my mates. The Nehru Cup triumph stays fresh in our memories and we need to sustain the momentum.”

Koevermans had released an initial list of 32 players following the Federation Cup, but now after watching a round of the I-League he only made one change to his squad with Joaquim Abranches replacing Manandeep Singh in the 20 players squad.

Those who didn’t make the squad are goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya (Mohun Bagan AC); defenders Prateek Chowdhary (Air India), Souvik Ghosh (Pailan Arrows), Nallappan Mohanraj (Pune FC), Mohanraj Pradeep (Air India), Irungbam Khelemba Singh (Mohun Bagan AC); midfielders Romeo Fernandes (Dempo SC), Rocus Lamare (Salgaocar SC), Lalrindika Ralte (East Bengal Club); plus strikers Jeje Lalpekhlua (Pune FC) and Manandeep Singh (East Bengal Club).

India

GoalkeepersSubrata Pal (Prayag United SC), Subhasish Roy Chowdhury (Dempo SC), Karanjit Singh (Salgaocar SC)

DefendersNirmal Chettri (Mohun Bagan AC), Denzil Franco (Churchill Brothers SC), Raju Eknath Gaikwad (East Bengal Club), Syed Rahim Nabi (Mohun Bagan AC), Gouramangi Moirangthem Singh (Prayag United SC), Gurwinder Singh (East Bengal Club)

MidfieldersFrancis Fernandes (Salgaocar SC), Alwyn George (Pailan Arrows), Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal Club), Clifford Miranda (Dempo SC), Anthony Pereira (Dempo SC), Sanju Pradhan (East Bengal Club), Jewel Raja Sheikh (Mohun Bagan AC), Lenny Rodrigues (Churchill Brothers SC)

ForwardsJoaquim Abranches (Dempo SC), Sunil Chhetri (Sporting Clube de Portugal ‘B’), Robin Singh (East Bengal Club)

OfficialsWim Koevermans (Head coach), Savio Medeira (Assistant coach), Marcus Pacheco (Goalkeeping coach)