Sunil Chhetri appeals to Indians in UAE to turn out in large numbers for their clash against UAE
Indian footballers are calling on their compatriots in the UAE to come out to support their attempt to make the Asian Cup knockout stages following a shock first win.
The Indian side, who
were not expected to make much of an impact at the tournament, pulled off an
impressive 4-1 victory over Thailand on Sunday. It was India’s first win in an
Asian Cup final game since 1964.
There are more than
three million Indians in the UAE, making them by far the largest national group
in the Emirates. But despite the large population, there were plenty of empty
seats at the Al Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Sunil Chhetri, who
scored two of the four goals against Thailand, thanked fans for their support
so far and called for them to turn out in large numbers for their clash with
the hosts on Thursday.
The 34-year-old
described 2018 as “really good for Indian football,” and said the team is now
planning to build on the success.
“Let me tell you this,
it would not have been possible without your support and encouragement,” he
said, in a direct address to fans. “It means so much for me and the whole team,
the way you have supported us all the way.
“Now, in 2019, the Asian
Cup, it cannot get bigger than this for us. We will give everything we have and
we need your support. I just hope that you come in numbers … Let’s do this
together.”
The match with the UAE,
who recorded a disappointing 1-1 draw with Bahrain in their first game, will be
followed by India’s last group stage match on Monday.
Cricket remains by far
the most popular sport in India, but football’s profile has been increasing
over recent years.
Following the win over
Thailand, India’s manager Stephen Constantine said: “We still have two games
left and we still need another two points to qualify from the group stages.
