‘India not to make up numbers in Asian Cup’

NEW DELHI: Facing continental heavyweights like Bahrain and UAE is a tough ask but India football coach Stephen Constantine is confident that Sunil Chhetri and his men won’t just be going to make up the numbers during next year’s Asian Cup.

In their last appearance in the Asian Cup in 2011, India coached Irishman Bob Houghton, were comprehensively beaten by Australia, South Korea and Bahrain but India’s Anglo-Cypriot coach feels things will be different this time round.

“I feel we have a decent chance to do that (to qualify for knock-out rounds) but we will need to be ready both mentally and physically. Thailand in the opener is a going to be a good game. We are going there to win and not to make up the numbers,” Constantine said.

As part of preparations for the Asian Cup, India are hosting a four-team Intercontinental Cup starting in Mumbai from June 1. Chinese Taipei, Kenya and New Zealand are the other three teams in the tournament.

REAL KASHMIR FACE HINDUSTAN FC

BANGALORE: Real Kashmir and Hindustan FC lock horns in the virtual final of the 2nd Division League on Wednesday at the FSV Arena to determine the team which will play the I-League next season. Real Kashmir enter the match with an upper hand. Hindustan FC need to win and if the match ends in a draw, Real Kashmir will qualify with a better goal difference. “If we concentrate on our performance then the results will take care of itself,” said Real Kashmir coach David Robertson. Hindustan FC coach Vikrant Sharma said: “It’s the decisive match. So against Real Kashmir, my team will be going all out.”