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Al Rayyan (Qatar): The Indian men’s football team will look to better their record in the AFC Asian Cup when they take on heavyweights Australia on Saturday in a Group B encounter at Ahmad bin Ali Stadium. Syria and Uzbekistan are the two other teams in the group. India are making their fifth appearance in the Asian Cup. Securing a top two spot in the group looks to be an uphill task for India but not impossible, considering the brand of football the Indian players have showcased in the last one year.
Coached by Igor Stimac, India have won three tournaments on the trot and will take confidence from there. If not a win, India would like to take atleast a point against their Group B opponents as a third-place finish would offer Stimac’s boys a chance for a knock-out berth. The top two teams from each group, along with four best third-placed sides from across six groups, progress to the knockout round of 16. Notably, 39-year-old Sunil Chhetri will be playing in his third Asian Cup, after his 2011 and 2019 campaigns, having scored four goals in six matches, the most by an Indian.
On the other hand, former champions Australia are one of the favourites in the tournament. One of the FIFA World Cup regulars, Australia made a quarterfinal exit in 2019. Statistically, the two countries have played eight matches against each other with Australia having won four times and India thrice, with one game ending in a draw. All of India’s wins have, however, come before 1957.
The India-Australia match will also see Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita creating history by becoming the first woman referee to take charge of a game in the Asia.
India will be missing the likes of defender Anwar Ali, defensive midfielder Jeakson Singh and nippy winger Ashique Kuruniyan due to injuries.
Australia have come with a mix of experienced and young players with 19 of the 26 currently plying trade in European leagues while only four are playing in the domestic A-League. The remaining three play in Japan and Saudi Arabia.
The Indian players will be experiencing Video Assistant Referee (VAR) against Australia for the first time on Saturday. VAR technology will make its full debut in Qatar following its successful implementation from the quarter-final stage in the 2019 edition in the United Arab Emirates.
When and where to watch India vs Australia football match in AFC Asian Cup 2024?
The India vs Australia football match in AFC Asian Cup 2024 will take place on Saturday (January 13) at the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan from 5 PM IST.
Which television channels will broadcast India vs Australia football match in AFC Asian Cup 2024?
Sports18 Network are the official broadcasters of the AFC Asian Cup 2024 in India. The India vs Australia match will be live telecast on Sports18 channels.
Where to get live streaming of India vs Australia football match in AFC Asian Cup 2024?
Live streaming of India vs Australia football match in AFC Asian Cup 2024 will be available on JIO Cinema app and website. Viewers with a JIO sim will get to see the live streaming for free on JIO Cinema app and website.
India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (GK); Akash Mishra, Sandesh Jhingan, Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Poojary; Anirudh Thapa, Suresh Singh; Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Naorem Mahesh Singh; Sunil Chhetri
Australia: Joe Gauci (GK); Nathaniel Atkinson, Harry Souttar, Cameron Burgess, Jordan Bos; Riley McGree, Aiden O’Neill, Jackson Irvine, Craig Goodwin; Mitchell Duke, Martin Boyle
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