Improbable if not impossible

BANDAR SERI BAGAWAN (BRUNEI), MAY 11. It will be all mathematics and histrionics when India clashes with a low-on-confidence Brunei in a pre-World Cup football qualifier here on Saturday.

Mathematically India can still advance to the second round though there are a lot of ifs and buts involved weighing not in favour of India which is placed third with four points in the Asian Zone Group 8 behind leader UAE and Yemen.

While India will have to rely on providence for Yemen to hold UAE to a draw twice at least, it must fire its own resources to register not only a win against Brunei but a thumping one, in order to make history.

However, it may be all over for India if UAE wins its qualifier against Yemen.

So what makes this match interesting despite all odds is that it will give Indian football a much-needed perk should the visitors win and a loss will indicate how much ground needs to be covered before India can make a mark in the sport.

Brunei come into this match with memories it would want to erase as soon as possible - a 0-12 loss to UAE and a 0-5 loss to Yemen both at home.

This should not call for complacency for Indians. In fact, they will have to be on their toes even more as their weak rival has nothing to lose and will go all out without any pressures.

``Though Brunei started off badly, it has improved with each outing. We will not take them lightly... It will be a good match,'' skipper Baichung Bhutia said.

Bhutia focussed

Bhutia, back after serving a one-match suspension after he was booked against UAE which India lost 0-1, said the team wanted to garner the full three points though the result would be of little significance in the immediate scheme of things.

``Mathematically we can still qualify and we are all keeping our fingers crossed. We will put in hundred per cent on the field and hope for the best,'' he added.

But even Bhutia knows he is hoping against hope as that mathematics requires bagging at least 17 goals from the match and the last on May 20 at home against the same rival, provided again if Yemen hold UAE twice.

Coach Sukhwinder Singh echoed Bhutia's remarks and admitted everyone in the team was anxiously awaiting the outcome of the UAE-Yemen match. ``But irrespective of whether we qualify or not our aim is to excel on the field tomorrow.''

He said the performance of the team had been remarkable so far and he hoped the boys would keep up the good show in the last two outings. ``The team is fit and with Bhutia back in action I am expecting an inspired performance from the boys''.

Some defensive lapses had cost India dearly in the drawn match (3-3) against Yemen and the coach said this time around they would avoid repeating the same mistakes.

``I am keeping my fingers crossed... With a little bit of luck and lots of hard work we can still make it to the next round,'' Sukhwinder, who was declared the `Asian coach of the Month' last week, said.

If India keeps up this never-say-die attitude, certainly anything is possible as the Group 8 competition has sprung a few surprises indeed.

- PTI

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