India vs China International Friendly 2018: Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan Among Other Key Players to Watch Out for in This Historic Football Fixture!
As the clock ticks towards India vs China International Friendly fixture, we bring you the list of key players that would play a crucial role in the friendly match later today!
India and China will be clashing against each other in a football friendly match on October 13. The game will be a historic one as the last time the two sides played against each other was 21 years ago. India will be playing a few international friendlies before they began their AFC Asia Cup 2019 campaign, and the clash with China is just the beginning.
In their head-to-head record, India and China have played 17 times against each other in the past. The Indian team has failed to win in any of the matches against their neighbours, whereas the Chinese team has managed to win 12 of them, with 5 matches ending in a draw. India vs China Football Friendly Match: Captain Sunil Chettri Says, 'Never Thought About My Personal Goals'.
The match will be played at Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in China. The game will see a start time of 5.00 pm (IST). As the clock ticks, we bring you the list of key players that would play a crucial role in the friendly match later today.
1. Sunil Chhetri
The Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri will have to bring his A-game into the match, if India has to bolster their chances of winning the historic International friendly. Chhetri’s contribution to India’s meteoric rise in recent years, has been immense and much of India’s prospects will depend on how the ‘Captain Charisma’ performs. On a personal front, a goal in the match will put him ahead of Lionel Messi in the most active goal-scorers list!
2. Gao Lin
The Chinese striker, Gao Lin, has been in amazing form recently. Playing for Guangzhou Evergrande, Lin has scored 10 goals in 23 matches this season. Known for his technical ability and crafty skills on the field, Gao Lin would be a potent threat to the Indian team when the two sides will clash against each other on Saturday.
3. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
Carrying a well-built, tall, and robust physique the Indian goalkeeper is quite popular amongst the fans. The 6’4 ft tall Gurpreet Singh Sandhu carries immense international experience with him and his recent form would be a big plus for the Indian team. Gurpreet has 7 clean sheets, 37 clearances, 46 saves, and 115 catches against his name. If India wants to win the match, a lot will depend on how watchful Gurpreet is!
4. Wu Lei
The 26-year-old Chinese forward would look to prove his mettle against a resurgent Indian side as the two teams clash on Saturday. The top scorer in the Chinese Super League (with 98 goals in 167 appearances) Lei would be looking to continue his form into the match against India. Also, he has scored 21 goals in 23 matches this season, and India would be wary of his goal-striking abilities.
5. Sandesh Jhingan
On the eve of the Indo-Chinese friendly, Sandesh Jhingan was announced as India’s captain in the international fixture. During the pre-match conference, Indian coach Stephen Constantine said, “He is a fighter and a leader. He gives everything on the pitch which most of the players do.” India would be needing this young captain to come good against the Chinese line-up, to increase its chances of winning.
The last time the Indian team played against China was during a Nehru Cup 1997 match, in Kochi. Then, India had lost the match 1-2 to their opponents. Come Saturday, India would be looking to set the record straight and open their account against China.
With the presence of stalwarts on both sides, it will be an entertaining evening for the fans. Stay tuned with LatestLY for all the latest updates about 2018 India vs China Friendly Football Match!
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 13, 2018 12:48 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).