India have a bigger purpose to play than just getting the third game against Lebanon off the book in the Intercontinental Cup 2023.
IND vs LEB Match Details
Date: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Time: 19:30 (IST)
Venue: Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneshwar
IND vs LEB Match Preview
India sealed their place in the Intercontinental Cup 2023 final with a 1-0 win over Vanuatu in the second match which required Sunil Chhetri’s splendid left-footed strike 10 minutes from time. It was also a personal moment for the talisman as he celebrated going to be a father soon. The Blue Tigers created numerous chances but failed to find the net and needed the 38-year-old magic to make the difference for the side again. Head coach Igor Stimac is experimenting with his side to prepare his best eleven for the Asian Cup in January next year but he would still wishes to get some stability with the performances. Earlier India recorded a 2-0 victory over Mongolia and struggled to keep up the intensity. While it was not an issue on Monday, the team still found it difficult to open a low block until late. They have to step up their game soon as the match against Lebanon is expected to be more than meaningless.
This is because India have overtaken the Cedars in the latest FIFA rankings which will have significant implication for the World Cup qualification draw. The Blue Tigers have climbed to 99th in the world and 18th in Asia ranking so it will help them maintain their position on Pot 2 and winning potentially two games against Lebanon, another one in the final as they have qualified, will help them solidify it. Aleksandar Ilić's side is reluctant to give India a pass-by and will try to take at least a point to prepare well for the final. It will ask a lot of them to prevent the hosts who have clinched seven wins out of the last seven home games including a clean sheet in their previous five. Lebanon failed to get past Mongolia in the 0-0 draw after defeating Vanuatu in their opening game. Nevertheless, the result secured their path to the final on Sunday, 18 June 2023. Hoping to gain back winning momentum, the visitors will check on their impressive record against India to end their invincibility on home soil.
Recent Form
IND: WWWWL
LEB: DWLLL
IND vs LEB Predicted Lineups
IND: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu; Nikhil Poojary, Anwar Ali, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose; Anirudh Thapa, Jeakson Singh, Sahal Samad; Udanta Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Lallianzuala Chhangte,
LEB: Ali Sabeh (GK), Hussein Zein, Mohammad El Hayek, Maxime Aoun, Jihad Ayoub, Hassan Saad, Walid Chouar, Ali Tneich, Zein Abidine Farran, Nader Matar, Karim Darwich
IND vs LEB Head to head
India have faced Lebanon six times in history winning only once. That came in the first-ever meeting between the sides in 1977 President’s Cup. Sunil Chhetri is the only player from the last fixture against Cedars of a World Cup Qualification game in 2007 in which he scored the opener of a 2-2 draw.
IND vs LEB Dream11 Team Prediction
GK: Gurpreet (7.5)
DEF: N Matar (8), Jhingan (9), Bose (9)
MID: Thapa (9), Maatouk (8), Samir (7.5), Udanta (8.5)
FW: Chhangte (7.5), Chhetri (9), Darwich (8)
Captain: Sunil Chhetri
Vice-captain: Lallianzuala Chhnagte
