India and Bangladesh Prepare for 29th International Football Encounter
India and Bangladesh will meet for the 29th time in international football. India holds a strong record with 14 wins, while Bangladesh’s last victory was over twenty years ago. Key players include Sunil Chhetri and Sandesh Jhingan for India, and Jamal Bhuyan for Bangladesh. The match, part of the Asian Cup qualifiers, is significant for both teams.
On March 25, India and Bangladesh will clash for the 29th time in international football, a rivalry historically dominated by India, who have claimed victory in 14 matches while losing only four and drawing ten. Memorable moments from recent encounters include Adil Khan’s late header in 2019 and Sunil Chhetri’s dramatic free-kick in 2013. Their previous senior-level meeting in the 2021 SAFF Championship ended in a 1-1 draw, with Chhetri scoring one of India’s last seven goals against Bangladesh.
India’s last defeat to Bangladesh in international play dates back over twenty years, with Bangladesh’s only win occurring in the 2003 SAFF Championship semi-final. Notably, India has never lost to Bangladesh on home soil. Indian defender Sandesh Jhingan, who contributed to a clean sheet in the 2021 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, expressed the high stakes involved: “Whenever we face Bangladesh, we always know that it’s going to be a game with a lot of passion and high intensity.”
Amidst uneven FIFA rankings, with India at 126th place and Bangladesh at 185th, Jhingan emphasized not underestimating the opposition and acknowledged the significance of qualifying points. Historically, India aims for their third consecutive Asian Cup qualification, while Bangladesh has only qualified once, in 1980. The group winners of the current qualification round will proceed to the tournament in Saudi Arabia in two years.
Bangladesh’s performance in the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification Round has been disappointing, finishing last in Group I with only one draw against Lebanon. Under head coach Javier Cabrera, who previously assisted in Indian football, the squad features players like captain Jamal Bhuyan, renowned for his football history in India, and promising midfielder Hamza Choudhury, who recently switched allegiance to the Bangladeshi team. The team’s makeup leans heavily on the Bashundhara Kings club, with a significant number of players hailing from there.
India and Bangladesh’s upcoming match reflects a long-standing rivalry marked by India’s favorable record. Despite Bangladesh’s lower FIFA ranking, the Indian team acknowledges the importance of not underestimating their opponents. Both teams are driven by a desire to secure substantial points in the Asian Cup qualification, emphasizing the match’s heightened competitive intensity.
Original Source: sports.ndtv.com
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