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| Courtesy : Mohun Bagan SG Media |
The 42nd edition of the Merdeka Cup is all set to start on the 13th of October where the Indian National Football Team will take on Malaysia. The tournament will take place with three teams - India, Tajikistan and hosts Malaysia in a knock-out format. Seven of the Mohun Bagan players have been called up by the coach Igor Stimac for the Merdeka Cup. Vishal Kaith, Anwar Ali, Subhasish Bose, Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Manvir Singh, and Liston Colaco will be seen in action for the blues. Now let's take a look at their current performances.
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| Courtesy : India NT Media |
Vishal Kaith
The " Wall of Mohun Bagan" has been doing a fantastic job under the bars since joining the club. Finally, as a reward for his consistent performance, Vishal Kaith gets a call-up for the National team. However, his chances of featuring in the first eleven will be less as Gurpreet Singh Sindhu is always there as the first choice.
Anwar Ali
One of the most important players who creates an invisible wall along with Sandesh Jhingan in the deep defense will certainly be a player to watch out for. Along with defending Anwar is very comfortable with the ball and helps the team India to build from the back. He's always brave and adventurous with his diagonal through balls which makes him look a completely different player from the other defenders.
First gym session in Kuala Lumpur ✅ 🙌#PestabolaMerdeka2023 🏆 #BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/eHWR2KHnxO
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 10, 2023
Subhasish Bose
The captain of Mohun Bagan, Subhasish Bose missed the last Kings Cup for illness. But this time Bose has joined the national team for the Merdeka Cup. Bose provides versatility to this Indian side as he played as a center-back in the three-man defense of Mohun Bagan and stood out. In the AFC Cup matches, Bose played both matches as a left wing-back and performed equally well.
Anirudh Thapa
Thapa, the "midfield marshal" of Mohun Bagan will be seen running the game in the middle for the Blue Tigers. In Mohun Bagan, he mostly played as a defensive midfielder but in the national team, he might get back his place as a box-to-box midfielder. His combination with Sahal Abdul Samad will certainly be a thing to watch out for.
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| Courtesy : India NT Media |
Sahal Abdul Samad
Sahal, the "Silky Mariner" has been terrific so far with the Mohun Bagan team. He registered a goal and three assists by his name too. In the King's Cup, his assist to Mahesh Naorem's goal against Iraq was a treat to watch. His silky touches, quick turns, and through balls will certainly entertain us.
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| Courtesy : India NT Media |
Liston Colaco
"The speed star" Colaco is back in the national team after missing the Kings Cup. He has been doing good with Mohun Bagan and registered a goal and an assist by his name. He can trouble the defenders and make his impact felt all throughout the match.
Manvir Singh
Despite being a forward he is mostly used as a winger in the Mohun Bagan team. He's a player with both attacking ability and defensive ability. With the return of Sunil Chhetri in the Merdeka Cup, we might see him forming a duo with Sunil Chhetri at top. He has all the abilities to make significant differences in a match.
Gearing up ⚙️ for #PestabolaMerdeka2023 🏆 🤩#BackTheBlue 💙 #BlueTigers 🐯 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/CCMliYOoor
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 10, 2023
Match Schedule:
October 13: Malaysia vs India, 6:30 PM IST
October 17: Malaysia/India vs Tajikistan, 6:30 PM IST
October 17: Malaysia/India vs Tajikistan, 6:30 PM IST
Live Streaming:
EuroSport India (TV) & Official AIFF YouTube Channel (OTT)
Indian Squad for the Merdeka Cup 2023:
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith and Amrinder Singh.
Defenders: Subhasish Bose, Nikhil Poojary, Mehtab Singh, Roshan Singh, Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan and Lalchungnunga.
Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Rohit Kumar, Brandon Fernandes, Nandakumar Sekar, Suresh Singh, Udanta Singh, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Mahesh Singh Naorem and Liston Colaco.
