AFC Qualifiers: India U-23 to head to US after camp in Delhi

New Delhi: Aiming to qualify for next year’s AFC Under-23 Championships, the Indian team will travel to USA for an exposure trip after undergoing a preparatory camp here.

Thirty four players have been summoned for the camp, which will continue till July 1 before the team departs for the USA.

Besides players playing in the Hero I-League, national Stephen Constantine has also called two players from the U-22 trials, players for which were scouted by the AIFF scouting network led by Executive Committee member Abhishek Yadav.

Yadav and his team had selected players from inter- university championships, inter-college tournaments, Santosh Trophy, Second Division League, Reliance Foundation Youth Sports (RFYS) as well as the overseas scouting programme.

India are slated to face Syria, Turkmenistan and Qatar in Group C of 2018 AFC U-18 Championship Qualifiers which are scheduled from July 19, 2017 to July 23, 2017 in Doha, Qatar.

“Our aim is to qualify for the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship. The qualifiers are in a month’s time and hence, we can’t just sit back and ponder over,” Constantine maintained.

The tour to the USA, Constantine believes, will “come in handy.”

“We are scheduled to go on an exposure trip to California early next month. We’ll play three or possibly four competitive matches against some club age-group teams and senior teams which will definitely come handy before we face Qatar, Syria and Turkmenistan in the Qualifiers,” Constantine mentioned.

The list of players attending the camp is as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Vishal Kaith, Sukhadev Shivaji Patil, Kamaljit Singh, Phurba Tempa Lechenpa.

DEFENDERS: Nishu Kumar, Lalramchullova, Chinglensana Singh Konsham, Salam Ranjan Singh, Sarthak Golui, Sairuatkima, Lalruatthara, Nitesh Deepak Aswani, Subhasish Bose, Jerry Lalrinzuala.

MIDFIELDERS: Nikhil Chandrashekhar Poojary, Raynier Raymond Fernandes, Isaac Vanmalsawma Chhakchhuak, Germanpreet Singh, Vinit Rai, Mawihmingthanga, Asharudeen Pulparamban, Saurabh Das, Enestar Malngiang, Robinson Singh Khumukcham, Vignesh Dakshina Murthy, Chesterpoul Lyngdoh, Lallianzuala Chhangte.

FORWARDS: Hitesh Sharma, Daniel Lalhlimpuia, Anto Xavier, Alen Deory, Manvir Singh, Azharuddin Mullick. (PTI)