The Indian football team will face Saudi Arabia in the Round of 16 at the 2022 Asian Games on September 28. The match will be held at the Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China, and will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network from 5.00 pm IST.
The Indian team finished second in Group to book their place in the knockout stages for the first time in 13 years. They had a difficult group stage campaign, arriving in China just days before their match against the host nation and suffering a 5-1 defeat. However, they bounced back with a narrow 1-0 victory over Bangladesh and a draw with Myanmar.
The Indian team are considered the underdogs in this match, given Saudi Arabia’s superior ranking and recent form. However, coach Igor Stimac is confident that his team can pull off an upset.
“We are well aware of the challenge that lies ahead,” Stimac said. “Saudi Arabia are one of Asia’s football powerhouses, but we have shown in the group stage that we are capable of competing against the best teams.”
Stimac also emphasized the importance of teamwork and discipline in order to overcome the odds.
“We need to be at our best as a team and minimize individual errors,” Stimac said. “If we can do that, we have a chance to cause an upset.”
The Indian team will be led by captain Sunil Chhetri, who is India’s all-time leading scorer in international football. Chhetri will be expected to play a key role in India’s attack.
The match is expected to be a closely contested affair, but the Indian team will be hoping to create history by reaching the quarterfinals of the Asian Games for the first time.
