India Face Stern Turkmenistan Test in World Cup Qualifiers, Sunil Chhetri Doubtful

Sunil Chhetri remained doubtful for India's 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Turkmenistan here on Tuesday, as the beleaguered home team seeks to end its disappointing campaign on a winning note. (India Lose Miserably to Iran in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers)

A win does not change much for India as they will still finish at the bottom of Group 'D' below tiny Pacific Island nation Guam. It has some significance regarding the team's chances for qualifying in 2019 Asian Cup.

Whatever the result, India will not get a direct entry into the qualification round of the Asian Cup. The Stephen Constantine-coached side will still have the ignominy of featuring in a play-off round to even feature in another qualifying round of the 2019 Asian Cup.

A win against Turkmenistan would put India against a lesser opposition in the play-off, thereby increasing their chance of making it to the qualifiers of the Asian Cup.

India, who have just three points from their lone win against Guam last year, are coming into Joint Qualification Round 2 match following a 0-4 drubbing away at the hands of continental giants Iran last week.

Though the wounds of the big defeat are still fresh, the team has been boosted by the return of Chhetri, who sweated it out on the field on the eve of the match.

Chief coach Stephen Constantine though was not committal on Chhetri's participation in the game at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium tomorrow.

In the absence of Chhetri, the country's all-time highest scorer in the international arena, Jeje Lalpekhlua led the 160th ranked nation at the famous Azadi Stadium in Tehran. They put up a brave fight in the first half, bur conceded thrice in the second to suffer another heavy defeat.

Turkmenistan, on 10 points currently, are also out of the 2018 World Cup but have already sealed their progress into the third qualifying round of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup as they are expected to still finish at third in the group even if they lose to India.

It won't be an easy task for Constantine's wards as the visitors are entering the game on the back of an impressive 2-1 win over Oman in November last year and will be the favourites for tomorrow's match after defeating India by the same score-line in the first leg in September.