AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers: Will Sunil Chhetri-led India crush 171st-ranked Cambodia?

Sunil Chhetri-led India will be taking part in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers from Wednesday. In its opening game, it takes on 171st-ranked Cambodia.

Sunil Chhetri

Skipper Sunil Chhetri will be looking to bolster his tally of 80 international goals as Team India prepares to steamroll 171st-ranked Cambodia on Wednesday. India will bid to make a fifth appearance in the AFC Cup. Cristiano Ronaldo (117 goals from 188 games) and Lionel Messi (86 from 162 games) are on a scoring spree. At the same time, at his level, the Indian talisman would love to go on a goal-rush against Cambodia, Afghanistan (150th) and Hong Kong (147th). While no one compares the international levels at which they operate, briefly overtaking Messi won't be a poor feeling for the 37-year-old, having done it before already.

Image credit: Social Media

The next Asian Cup is slated in late 2023 or early 2024 following the pull-out of China. Chhetri, who will complete 17 years at the international level, will be looking at this competition as the 'final frontier' in his celebrated career. The tournament gives India the soundest chance to qualify for the continental trophy. But, if there are any slip-ups against the lowly-ranked nations, Chhetri or head coach Igor Stimac will have little room for rationale.

"I want to qualify. If I'm not there, my country will be there. So, either I'll be having a beer and watching Udanta sprint, or you are having a beer, and I'll be sprinting there. But we want to be there. We are playing them first. If we don't do well against Cambodia, you have lost half your battle," Chhetri spoke on his intentions ahead of his 126th international appearance, reports PTI.

"As of now, we are just thinking about Cambodia, watching as many videos as possible. Once we are done [with them], we think about Afghanistan. No doubt, Afghanistan are also strong," added Chhetri. Later, he took to his social media to post, "Let the three teams that are going to play against us, play against us plus you, because that will be a massive difference."