FIFA World Cup Qualifiers: IND vs BAN match predictions and team news

India will play hosts to Bangladesh when they will clash for their upcoming World Cup qualifier on Tuesday in the footballing hub of Kolkata. India will play after eight years at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) and the excitement level of fans has reached its peak. The Indians are currently high on motivation after a clinching a draw against Asian champions Qatar in Doha. Team India had a 10-day training camp in Guwahati before landing in Kolkata on Sunday.

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India vs Bangladesh: Predictions and updates

Prediction: India 2-1 Bangladesh

With the return of captain Sunil Chhetri to the side, India will be more lethal in their attack against the Bangladeshis. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu delivered an exceptional performance against Qatar and will be expected to continue with his momentum. On the other hand, the Jamie Day-managed Bangladeshi side have failed to score a single goal in their previous two World Cup Qualifiers, although, they managed to create a lot of chances against Qatar.

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Match Info

India has a golden opportunity to grab their first win in their World Cup qualifiers when they face Bangladesh. The hosts are currently ranked fourth in their group with one point. Whereas, Bangladesh has suffered defeats in both of their games they have played so far. Although India will see the return of Chhetri, they will not have their star centre-back Sandesh Jhingan and Anwar Ali (Junior) participating in the game.

Gaffer Igor Stimac addressed that the team will have to work on their set-pieces, combinations and must pick their best eleven for Bangladesh's clash. The Croatian looked overwhelmed by Kolkata's reception to welcome the Men in Blue and went ahead to thank them. He further added that when India visited Doha in September after facing a loss in their campaign opener against Oman in Guwahati, the team was considered to be the underdogs. However, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu's heroics had helped them secure a draw.

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According to Bangladesh's goalkeeping coach Bobby Mimms, the pressure will be on the hosts as they will be playing in front of their home crowd. In an interview with a leading media portal, Mimms claims that if Bangladesh wins on Indian soil, it will be a massive upset. He calls for his side to take full advantage of India feeling the heat to win. India ranks 104th in the FIFA rankings, while Bangladesh are on the 207th spot.

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