India Under-23 are the visitors in the first leg of the first round Pre-Olympic qualifier against Qatar Under-23.

Competition: Pre-Olympic Qualifier (AFC) First Round First Leg

Venue: Al Sadd Stadium, Doha, Qatar

Kick-Off: Sunday, 19th June, 21:45 IST



Favourites



Bulpin's Boys

Qatar – Hassan Al Haidous

India – Jeje Lalpekhlua





Can Jeje Score In Qatar?

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The Qatar outfit would look to make the most of their home advantage and record a big win in the first leg. Unlike India they got a direct entry into the first round as they were one of the 13 higher ranked teams that joined the 11 winners from the preliminary round. As admitted by India coach Desmond Bulpin in the pre-match press conference, the Qatar U-23 team is technically better than their Indian counterparts and will come into this as clear favourites.Coached by Frenchman Bernard Simondi, the Qatar side has also had very good preparation for this match as they drew with Real Madrid ‘B’ 1-1 and defeated Getafe ‘B’ 1-0. The young Qatari outfit also defeated Malaysia Under-23 4-0 to warm up for this tie in style. Despite being the favourites, Qatar will be well aware of the fact that India nearly beat them when the two sides met in the 2010 Asian Games. The personnel in both teams have changed since then but that match should ensure that Qatar don’t underestimate India and aim to play to their full potential. India Under-23 needed a late goal from substitute C.S. Sabeeth to get past Myanmar in the preliminary round but Desmond Bulpin’s side were the slight underdogs in that tie also so just progressing was a good achievement. They are even bigger underdogs against Qatar and thus the young Indian team will be under very little pressure compared to their hosts. Tactics and team spirit saw them through against a technically superior Myanmar side but considering Qatar’s quality, India would need something more this time.Ten of the 18 members in the Indian squad are from the Indian Arrows side but it will be interesting to see how many of them actually start in match. The likes of Laxmikant Kattimani, Zakeer Mundampara, Snehashish Chakraborty and Anthony Barbosa are strong bets to get the nod ahead of some of the Indian Arrows boys. But Desmond Bulpin is likely to have the majority of the starters from the Indian Arrows team as that plan worked against Myanmar. Being the visitors, the young Indian side doesn’t have to win the game but they certainly should be positive in their approach and look to surprise Qatar. A defeat would also not be the end of the tie but Bulpin’s boys must avoid a heavy loss and aim to score an away goal as well.The 20 year old striker has also been capped at senior level and was part of Qatar’s Asian Cup 2011 squad. Haidous, who plies his trade with Al Sadd, recently bagged a brace in the 4-0 demolition of Malaysia U-23 and would aim to score in this match also.Jeje is now considered one of the best strikes in Indian football and the fact that he finished as the highest Indian scorer in the I-League with 12 goals, will only enhance his reputation. He scored four goals in three matches for the senior team in the AFC Challenge Cup 2012 qualifiers and would certainly have to be the Under-23 team’s talisman if Bulpin’s side wants to go through to the next round.