India now face Vietnam

After their 0-1 defeat against Hongkong on Monday, India tomorrow face Vietnam in their next international friendly Balewadi sports complex in Pune as part of their preparations for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.

India face southeast Asian side Vietnam, who coach Houghton considers stronger then Hongkong, and they are currently ranked 125th in the FIFA world rankings. In their last international game against World Cuppers North Korea last month the Vietnamese earned a goalless draw in Hanoi, so this speaks for their potential. The side is coached by 56 year old Portuguese Henrique Manuel da Silva Calisto, who has been coaching the national team or club side Đồng Tâm Long An for nearly a decade.

India is set to make only one change to the starting eleven with Baldeep Singh getting first first start in the heart of midfield alongside stand-in captain Climax Lawrence in place of Mehrjuddin Wadoo. Due to injuries Baichung Bhutia, Mohammed Rafi, Mahesh Gawli and Samir Naik will be missing the game, but coach Houghton will welcome back N.P. Pradeep and Steven Dias on the bench to give him some more options.

The fans are with Bob Houghton and his boys, but criticism is growing about team selection and Bob's trust in certain players who have been more often injured then match fit. And for fan criticism to die down Bob and his boys need a win against Vietnam otherwise the criticism is set to grow further. And that is something which Team India can do without as they need all possible support going into the Asian Cup.


Likely India Line-up
Subrata Pal; Surkumar Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Anwar, Syed Rahim Nabi; Anthony Pereira, Climax Lawrence (C), Baldeep Singh, Clifford Miranda; Abhishek Yadav, Sunil Chhetri