Kolkata: Former captain of the Indian football team Bhaichung Bhutia said Thursday that the forward line of the current team is heavily dependent on Sunil Chhetri and other players need to step up and score goals.
Bhaichung Bhuita said that the team’s defence has already showed a good account of itself in the last two World Cup qualifier matches and the onus is on the strikers to deliver against Bangladesh during the match here October 15.
“Our main concern has been defending and if they can maintain that it’s okay. Now this Bangladesh game is going to be a big test for the strikers. It’s not the defence but the forward line which will have to deliver,” Bhutia stated.
“I think against Qatar (in the drawn match), India defended very well. We definitely require more goal-scoring strikers. We need to improve our striking zone as it’s only Sunil Chhetri who’s able to score. If he’s not playing or does not score it becomes very, very difficult,” added the former India captain.
The draw against Qatar in Doha in their last match gave India their first point in round two of the World Cup qualifiers after they had tasted a 1-2 defeat against Oman in their Group E opening clash in Guwahati. Incidentally Qatar is the top-ranked team in the group.
India need to beat Bangladesh here to keep their hopes of qualifying for the next round alive. Bangladesh are currently ranked 187th, 83 places below India.
“The way they (Bangladesh) have played the last two games, it should come easy for India and they should win it comfortably,” asserted Bhutia.
PTI