After a clinical 2-0 victory over Mongolia in the Intercontinental Cup 2023 opener, the Indian men’s football team will lock horns with Vanuatu on Monday, June 12.
The Blue Tigers will be eyeing their second consecutive victory in the tournament, which is being hosted at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.
Carrying on the momentum from their victories against Myanmar and the Kyrgyz Republic in March, Igor Stimac's men registered a brisk victory against the Blue Wolves on Friday, June 9.
Sahal Abdul Samad and Lallianzuala Chhangte scored early on in the first half to secure the full points.
Meanwhile, Vanuatu went down 1-3 to Lebanon despite a resilient showing for the majority of the game. The 164-ranked side are the third opponent from Oceania, after New Zealand and Fiji, that India will face.
Recently, they participated in a friendly tri-nation tournament in March 2023, defeating Fiji 2-1 and finishing second after losing 0-2 to the Solomon Islands.
Lebanon and Mongolia on the other hand will face each other early on Monday at the same venue.
India's team news and predicted lineup for the clash against Vanuatu
After the victory in the opening game, head coach Stimac underlined that he could opt for multiple changes throughout these matches given the jam-packed calendar. Otherwise, the Blue Tigers have no significant injury concerns in the squad.
Predicted XI: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Rahul Bheke, Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Rowlin Borges, Sahal Abdul Samad, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Nandhakumar Sekar, and Rahim Ali.
Vanuatu vs India: Prediction for the Intercontinental Cup 2023 clash
India are undoubtedly the overwhelming favorites to win the game. The players have trained for a month and the result against Mongolia was a statement of their sharpness.
However, Vanuatu showed against Lebanon that they have the potential to be a well-drilled side. The Vanuatu Cyclone will look to stay compact and hit their opponents on the break with their forwards who are quick across the ground.
Prediction: Vanuatu 0-3 India
Vanuatu vs India: Telecast and streaming details for the
Intercontinental Cup 2023 clash
The match between the Blue Tigers and the Vanuatu Cyclone will be live telecast on Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar. The matches will also be streamed on Jio TV.