| India vs Uzbekistan | |
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MATCH INFO |
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MATCH :
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India vs Uzbekistan
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COMPETITION :
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AFC Asian Cup
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| DATE: |
18-01-2024
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TIME:
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08.00 PM IST (UTC +5:30)
06.30 PM UAE
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STADIUM
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Ahmed bin Ali Stadium
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Predicted Lineups
India Predicted XI
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu(GK); Akash Mishra, Sandesh Jhingan, Rahul Bheke, Nikhil Poojary; Lalengmawia Ralte, Suresh Singh Wangjam; Naorem Mahesh Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte; Sunil Chhetri (C).
India and Uzbekistan find themselves in a scoreless deadlock following their initial matches in the AFC Asian Cup.
During India's clash with Australia, currently ranked 25th in the world, the two teams maintained a 0-0 tie at halftime. However, the Australian offense broke through in the 59th minute, capitalizing on an unexpected mistake by the Indian goalkeeper.
In Uzbekistan's opening match against Syria, the Uzbeks struggled to find the net, resulting in a disappointing 0-0 draw.
Although this might suggest another low-scoring encounter, certain factors indicate otherwise. Uzbekistan demonstrated a considerable number of scoring opportunities in their match against Syria, accumulating an xG (Expected Goals) of 1.38 from 12 shots, despite Syria's organized defense. Conversely, India is not expected to adopt the same defensive stance as they did against Australia, potentially creating goal-scoring chances for Uzbekistan.
Reflecting on India's performance against Australia, there were notable positives, including solid defensive play by Sandesh Jhingan and goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's composed first-half performance. Despite the defensive efforts, India had promising offensive moments, with Nikhil Poojari creating a noteworthy opportunity for captain Chhetri in the 16th minute.
While acknowledging Uzbekistan as a formidable opponent, India, viewing them as less formidable than the Socceroos, anticipates favorable chances. Consequently, the prediction is that both India and Uzbekistan will manage to score at least one goal each. Aligning with the first betting tip, there's an expectation that the initial goal in the match will occur by the 28th minute.
Drawing from India's previous match against Australia, where they had a clear scoring opportunity in the 16th minute, it is anticipated that India will actively pursue an early goal in this game. While this approach could potentially secure a lead, it also poses the risk of counterattacks from Uzbekistan.
Coach Igor Stimac is likely to field the same team that performed well against Australia, given the absence of players facing suspensions, with the exception of Mahesh Singh, who received a booking after coming off the bench in the first match.