Kochi expects full house for soccer friendly versus Palestine
Dutch coach Wim Koevermans names 23-member Indian squad for February 6 tie. Sporting Lisbon's Sunil Chettri to spearhead home challenge in soccer-mad state.
Emphasising the significance of the match, the Dutch said that it would give a chance to him and the team to make evaluations. "We need to assess ourselves. We need more such matches," he said. India won the Nehru Cup under Koevermans in September last year and are looking to make home support count once again, this time in Kerela.
Kerela fans are known for their passionate affection for the sport and veteran Sunil Chettri said that it would count for a lot against Palestine. "The passion for the sport in the Kerala stays unparallel and we expect a full house cheering for us against Palestine."
The 23-member list is as follows:
GOALKEEPERS: Subrata Pal (Prayag United), Sandip Nandy (Churchill Brothers). Karanjit Singh (Salgaocar SC).
DEFENDERS: Nirmal Chhetri (Mohun Bagan), Gouramangi Singh (Prayag United), Shouvik Ghosh (Pailan Arrows), Syed Rahim Nabi (Mohun Bagan), Gurjinder Kumar (Pune FC), Raju Gaikwad (East Bengal), Denzil Franco (Churchill Brothers).
MIDFIELDERS: Lenny Rodrigues (Churchill Brothers), Lalkamal Bhowmick (Prayag United), Arata Izumi (Pune FC), Mehtab Hossain (East Bengal), Francis Fernandes (Salgaocar), Anthony Pereira (Dempo SC), Alwyn George (Pailan Arrows), Jewel Raja (Mohun Bagan), Clifford Miranda (Dempo SC), Vineet CK (Prayag United).
FORWARDS: Sunil Chhetri (Sporting Lisbon), Manandeep Singh (East Bengal), Sushil Kumar Singh (Shillong Lajong FC).
STANDBYES: Subhashish Roychowdhury (Dempo SC), Dhanachandra Singh (Prayag United), Sandesh Jhingan (USFC), Arnab Mondal (East Bengal), Gurwinder Singh (East Bengal), Rocus Lamare (Salgaocar SC), Lalrindika Ralte (East Bengal), Peter Carvalho (Dempo SC), Tomba Singh (Churchill Brothers), Asif K (Prayag United), Malswamtulunga (Prayag United), Joaquim Abranches (Dempo SC), Robin Singh (East Bengal), Jeje Lalpekhlua (Pune FC).