India - Saudi Arabia

KOLKATA – India coach Bobby Houghton has announced the 22-man squad for the SAFF Champions’ must-win Asian Cup 2007 qualifier against Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, with a number of injuries impacting on the Englishman’s selection.

Defender Mahesh Gawali has been ruled out with a knee-injury, Debrabata Roy has jaundice, while media reports have Krishnan Nair Ajayan’s unavailability explained by the fact that the Mahindra midfielder was bitten by a dog.

Houghton had hoped to recall veteran campaigner Jo Paul Ancheri but the versatile midfielder has not recovered fully from injury while experienced striker Alvito D’Cunha is in the squad but struggling with a hamstring problem.

D’Cunha didn’t play in either of India’s two previous Group A qualifiers nor did fellow East Bengal forward Fredy Mascarnhas and JCT frontman Sunhil Chhetri, leaving veteran striker Baichung Bhutia the only attacker to have tasted 2007 Asian Cup qualifying action.

The three-time SAFF Championship winner put off international retirement to help India salvage some pride in what has been a hugely disappointing campaign for the 1964 Asian Cup runners-up.

India, who lost 6-0 to reigning Asian Cup champions Japan in their Group A opener before going to a shock 3-0 home defeat to Yemen will be looking to get things back on track when they entertain three-time continental champions Saudi Arabia at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday

India squad

Goalkeepers: Sandip Nandy (Mahindra United), Subrata Paul (Mohun Bagan), Subhasis Roy Chaudhary (Mahindra United)
Defenders: Surkumar Singh (Mahindra United), N.S. Manju (Mahindra United), Deepak Mondal (Mohun Bagan), Samir Naik (Dempo SC), Anupam Sarkar (East Bengal), Narinder Singh (JCT), N.P. Pradeep (Mahindra United), abibur Rehman Mondal (East Bengal), Sanjiv Maria (Mohun Bagan) Midfielders: S. Venkatesh (Mahindra United), Steven Dias (Mahindra United), Mehrajuddin Wadoo (Mohun Bagan), Manjit Singh (Bengal), P. Renedy Singh (JCT), Bibiano Fernandes (East Bengal) Forwards: (East Bengal), Alvito D'Cunha (East Bengal), Sunil Chhetri (JCT), Baichung Bhutia (Mohun Bagan) Saudis down Bahrain in friendly DAMMAM – Saudi Arabia warmed up for next week’s Asian Cup 2007 qualifier against India with a 1-0 victory against Bahrain on Wednesday. The only goal of the game came after 17 minutes as striker Yasser Al Qahtani headed home a cross by Mohammed Ameen to give the three-time Asian Cup winners a narrow win.

Saudi national coach Marcus Paqueta will be concerned though with the fitness of defender Naif Al Qadi, who had to go off after picking up an injury just before the end of the first half and is a question mark for the match against India.

The Saudis will conclude their training camp in Dammam on Sunday before leaving for Kolkota, where they play their second Group A game on August 16.

The Middle Eastern giants trounced Yemen 4-0 in Sana’a in their opening qualifier on February 22 and currently share top spot in the group with Japan and Yemen on three points. Bahrain will not be in action in the Asian Cup qualifiers again until October following the withdrawal of Lebanon due to the ongoing crisis in the country.

The Asian Cup 2004 semi-finalists had been scheduled to meet the Lebanese in Manama on August 16 and in Beirut on September 6, but the Lebanese withdrawal last week leaves Group D with only three teams.

The next assignment for the Bahrainis is a visit to Australia on October 11 followed by a home match with Kuwait on November 15.