New Delhi: The All India Football Federation (AIFF) heaved a sigh of relief as the sports ministry Tuesday cleared India’s men and women’s football teams for the Incheon Asian Games Sep 19-Oct 4.
The teams, which are currently in China, have been cleared at all-cost-to-the-government basis. The men’s squad will comprise 20 members and women’s 18.
Meanwhile, the final list of players who would be boarding the flight to Incheon have also been named by the men’s and women’s coaches Wim Koevermans and Tarun Roy, respectively.
Dempo’s Alwyn George, Pune FC duo Salam Ranjan Singh and Dhanpal Ganesh and Sporting Clube De Goa’s Rowlin Borges failed to make the cut for the Asian Games for the U-23 India Men’s side.
On the other hand, Supriya Routray, Indumathi, Jyoti Ann Burrett and Rinaroy Devi won’t be travelling to Incheon along with the Indian Women’s squad.
Clubbed in Group A alongside hosts South Korea, the Maldives and Thailand, the Indian women play their first group league match against Maldives Sep 14. The other matches are against South Korea (Sep 17) and Thailand (Sep 19).
The U-23 men, on the other hand, have to take on the might of last Games’ silver medallists United Arab Emirates (UAE) in their first group league match slated for Sep 15 while their last match in the Group is against Jordan, Sep 22.
Squads:
Men:
Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Ravi Kumar, Kamaljit Singh.
Defenders: Pritam Kotal, Keenan Almeida, Joyner Lourenco, Shankar Sampingiraj, Sandesh Jhingan, Narayan Das.
Midfielders: Pronoy Halder, Clifton Dias, Siam Hangal, Lalrindika Ralte, Milan Singh.
Forwards: Francis Fernandes (senior Player), Seiminlen Doungel, Sunil Chhetri (senior player), Robin Singh (senior player), Haokip Thongkoshim, Mandar Rao Desai.
Women:
Goalkeeper: Okram Roshni Devi, Aditi Chauhan, Pushpa Tirkey
Defenders: Ashem Romi Devi, Ashalata Devi, Tuli Goon, Radharani Devi, Suprava Samal, Upamati Devi
Midfielders: Premi Devi, Amoolya Kamal, Mandakini Devi, Oinam Bembem Devi, Kamala Devi.
Forwards: Sasmita Malik, Prameshwori Devi, Dangmei Grace, Bala Devi.(IANS)
