Bahrain - players.bio

Why playing Belarus, co-aggressor in Ukraine, doesn't sit well with India

Belarus, fellow aggressor in the Ukraine invasion, in the football friendly at Bahrain on Saturday? One is still not sure where to stand on this. The Indian national team, ranked 104 in the world, is generally so starved of any international action that anything that comes its way is welcome, and thus the mind says, 'Go ahead, in any case sports and politics shouldn't mix.' But the heart tugs you back to our time-tested, perhaps forgotten concepts of solidarity.

Igor Stimac Hints More Changes Against Belarus In 2nd International Friendly

Up against higher-ranked Belarus in their second international friendly here on Saturday, national football team head coach Igor Stimac on Friday said he would continue trying out new faces so as to keep his blueprint ready for the Asian Cup final round qualifiers in June. India almost secured a draw against Bahrain with a second-half equaliser from Rahul Bheke but only to concede an 88th minute goal to go down 1-2 in the first friendly here on Wednesday. Belarus are 10 notches above 104th ranked India.

Stimac hints more changes against Belarus in second international friendly

Stimac on Friday said he would continue trying out new faces so as to keep his blueprint ready for the Asian Cup final round qualifiers in June. India almost secured a draw against Bahrain with a second-half equaliser from Rahul Bheke but only to concede an 88th minute goal to go down 1-2 in the first friendly here on Wednesday. Belarus are 10 notches above 104th ranked India.

India seek improved performance against Belarus in second international football friendly

football friendly here on Saturday. Six players could not accompany the team that left Mumbai on Monday due to visa issues but they reached here on the day of the Bahrain match on Wednesday, with only Anirudh Thapa and Aniket Jadhav being able to play in that game against the hosts, that too in the second half. But against Belarus, head coach Igor Stimac is expected to use the services of Indian Super League-winning side Hyderabad FC defender Chinglensana Singh as well as midfield lynchpin Brandon Fernandes, who were among the six who landed here on Wednesday.