9th June 1984 will go down as one of the most historic days of Indian Football. The city of San Fernando played host as a lowly ranked Indian National Team beat the Soca Warriors of Trinidad & Tobago on their home turf 1-3.
27 years later, the story is much the same. 153rd ranked India have traveled to the Caribbean to take on St. Kitts and Nevis (122) on 17th August, Guyana (116) on 21st August with the showpiece game being played on the 24th of August against Trinidad and Tobago, ranked 88th in the world.
India Coach Armando Colaco will have a full strength squad to choose from as he continues to impress his version of tiki-taka, used so successfully in the I-League by his club Dempo, on a team that has more recently relied on the long ball.
They say you are as good as your last match and India will be quietly confident after their 2-2 draw against Asian giants U.A.E in New Delhi last month.
The Bhangra Boys’ star has been on the rise since the reign of former coach Bob Houghton. They successfully defended their Nehru Cup triumph of 2007 in 2009 and by winning the AFC Challenger Cup the previous year, India recorded their place in the Asia Cup after last playing in 1984, the same year they last traveled to the West Indies.
However, as pointed out by the former coach during the Asia Cup, the lack of infrastructure back home has crippled the country’s football development. Hoping to address that crisis, Colaco’s men have set up a host of International friendlies as they mount a surge up the FIFA rankings with everyone back home hoping that the tag of India never appearing at the FIFA World Cup goes away.
Qualifications for 2014 are history now and we look forward to a new look Indian team that will soon be challenging for top honors playing the brand of football Armando Colaco’s teams are known for.
Until then, Joga Bonito.
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