Indian national team coach Stephen Constantine has announced a 34-member probable squad for the upcoming AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 qualifiers fixture against Macau.
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Stephen Constantine’s men are scheduled to face Macau on September 5. Before that, the team will be camping in Chennai from August 11 onwards and will participate in the All India Football Federation (AIFF) organized Champions Cup 2017 at the same very venue.
The four-nation tournament will reportedly take place in the south Indian city between 17-27 August. Caribbean side St. Kitts & Nevis and African side Mauritius have approved of their participation; whereas the India FA remain in the hunt for a fourth international side.
The high-flying Indian side is currently on a two-match winning streak in the Asian Cup qualifiers. The Blue Tigers defeated Myanmar away from home in the first match and then outclassed Kyrgyzstan at home in the second match in June.
India is at the top of the group table. Another away win against Macau will take them a step closer to qualification for the main competition.
Constantine has called up five new faces in the senior Indian squad. Sarthak Golui, Nikhil Poojary, Manvir Singh, Davinder Singh and Anirudh Thapa are the youngsters who will join the team after their impressive show for the India U-23 side.
However, Amrinder Singh finds no place in the squad after being retained by Mumbai City FC for the Indian Super League in a record-breaking contract. Fellow custodian Debjit Majumder too faces the axe.
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Here's the 31-man list in full:
Goalkeepers: Subrata Paul (Jamshedpur FC), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Stabaek FC), Albino Gomes (Delhi Dynamos), Vishal Kaith (FC Pune City), TP Rehenesh (NorthEast United FC).
Defenders: Pritam Kotal (Delhi Dynamos), Sandesh Jhingan (Kerala Blasters), Arnab Mondal (East Bengal), Anas Edathodika (Jamshedpur FC), Narayan Das (FC Goa), Jerry Lalrinzuala (Chennaiyin FC), Salam Ranjan Singh (East Bengal), Sarthak Golui (Mohun Bagan), Davinder Singh (Minerva Punjab FC), Lalruatthara (Kerala Blasters).
Midfielders: Dhanpal Ganesh (Chennaiyin FC), Jackichand Singh (Kerala Blasters), Seityasen Singh (Delhi Dynamos), Nikhil Poojary (East Bengal), Bikash Jairu (Jamshedpur FC), Milan Singh (Kerala Blasters), Udanta Singh (Bengaluru FC), Eugeneson Lyngdoh (ATK), Mohammed Rafique (East Bengal), Rowlin Borges (NorthEast United FC), Holicharan Narzary (NorthEast United FC), Germanpreet Singh (Chennaiyin FC), Anirudh Thapa (Chennaiyin FC).
Forwards: Jeje Lapekhlua (Chennaiyin FC), Sumeet Passi (Jamshedpur FC), Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC), Robin Singh (ATK), Balwant Singh (Mumbai City FC), Manvir Singh (FC Goa).