India v Pakistan is not a classic football rivalry. But it could be

27.06.2023 - 09:01 theguardian.com

I ndia’s 4-0 win against Pakistan on Wednesday showed why this fixture is not currently one of football’s great rivalries but also why it could be.

They may not meet often, this being a first game since 2018, and one may have fallen far behind the other, but the potential is there if Pakistan can get their act together off, and then on, the pitch.

Sparks can fly, as the opening game of the South Asian Cup showed. India’s coach, Igor Stimac, caused a mass brawl just before half-time when he stopped Pakistan’s Abdullah Iqbal from taking a quick throw-in.

The Croat pushed the ball out of the defender’s hands, earning a red card and causing tempers to flare on a warm night in India’s tech capital of Bengaluru.

Football FIFA handball rivalry Igor Stimac India Pakistan Mumbai Kenya Djibouti Mauritius

The Indian football team is likely to miss the Asian Games for the second time in a row as it does not meet the Sports Ministry's criteria of being ranked among the top-8 sides in the continent. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) had earlier planned that the national senior team head coach Igor Stimac would take an Under-23 side to the September 23 to October 8 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China after the Kings Cup in Thailand (September 7-10).

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Indian captain Sunil Chhetri on Sunday backed head coach Igor Stimac's demand for a four-week camp before the Asian Cup early next year, saying the team needs to have enough preparation time to face the best sides in the continent. The 38-year-old Chhetri, who will be playing his last Asian Cup in Doha (January 12 to February 10), also pitched for at least one international friendly match against a top-seven ranked country in Asia such as Iran, Japan or Saudi Arabia before the continental showpiece. "We are going to face Australia, Uzbekistan and Syria in the Asian Cup (group matches), that is why Stimac (as well as goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu) have spoken about long camps. We need it, and I really hope we get it," Chhetri said in a virtual media interaction.

"We In India Not Living In Real World": Coach Igor Stimac Fires Shots

The Indian football team is on a roll, having won the Intercontinental Cup and the SAFF Championship, but the head coach Igor Stimac is still unhappy. The Croatian coach, who saw some of his players produce their best football in recent competitions, isn't pleased with the way the team has grown. In an interview, Stimac made a rather blunt remark, saying football in India is still not living in the real world, and some serious steps are required to be taken in order to make the team compete globally.

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India lifted a record ninth SAFF Championship title on Tuesday after overcoming Kuwait in the penalty shootout at Sri Kanteerava Outdoor Stadium in Bengaluru. There was a sense of panic in the Indian dugout after Kuwait had taken the lead through Shabaib Al Khaldi. However, the hosts finally equalised after Ashique Kuruniyan picked out Sunil Chhetri, who combined with Sahal Abdul Samad, to set up Lallianzuala Chhangte for an easy tap-in. The scoreline remained intact as the match went to extra-time, followed by penalties.