India look for goals from Bhutia

Hoping to redeem past glory, former Asian giants India clash with formidable United Arab Emirates in a pre-World Cup Football Group-8 qualifying round match at the Sri Kanteerava Stadium, in Bangalore, on Sunday.

Certainly, India face a tough task, as they have been drawn first against a team that is currently ranked sixth in the Asian region as against their 21st ranking.

Unlike their opponents, India have had little international exposure, but the side is brimming with confidence and is expected to pump in all its resources to etch a mark for itself in the opener.

The Indian team, currently involved in a training camp at the Sports Authority of India South Centre, on the outskirts of Bangalore, will be led by star striker Baichung Bhutia, who is fresh from international experience after playing for England's Bury FC the last two seasons. In the absence of Tapan Ghosh and Hardip Singh, who are on the injured list, India are banking upon Bhutia and F C Kochin mainstay I M Vijayan for goals.

Vijayan too has international exposure, though it proved to be expensive. After playing for a Bangladeshi club, he failed to produce an International Transfer Certificate, for which he was slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 fine by the All India Football Federation Disciplinary committee.

India is also looking for an impressive performance from R C Prakash, another in-form striker, who has touched peak form in the National Football League, accounting for 13 goals.

The other key members of the team are defenders Mahesh Gwali, Deepak Kumar Mandal and strikers Alvito D'Cunha and Rolando Correia.

Bhutia's return to the side, no doubt, has sharpened the forward line, but India's 1-3 loss to UAE in the Asian Cup qualifier in Abu Dhabi still haunts the hosts.

Barring once, in 1950, when the team could not participate in Mexico, India has not qualified for the World Cup main draw.

In the 1998 pre-World Cup qualifying rounds, in Qatar, India beat The Philippines, 2-0, drew with Sri Lanka 1-1 and lost to Qatar 0-6.

The performance of India even during the earlier Asian Zone group qualifying rounds has also been unimpressive.

However, India coach Sukhwinder Singh, who was reappointed to train the team after the Millennium Cup fiasco, is confident that this boys will come up with a good showing on Sunday and enhances India's chances of a berth in the World Cup.