SAFF 2023 : India to face Lebanon without these stars, see probable 11
Xtra Time Web Desk : On Saturday, at Bengaluru's Shree Kanteerava Stadium, India will face Lebanon in the semi-final of the SAFF Championship. In the previous Intercontinental Cup final, Lebanon was defeated by the Blue Tigers, so India will enter the home ground with confidence.
However, there have been several unexpected developments since the last encounter. India's head coach Igor Stimac will not be present in the semi-final. Additionally, the reliable defender Sandesh Jhingan and backup forward Rahim Ali are also unavailable due to card issues. This makes the task quite challenging for India.
In this situation, interim head coach Mahesh Gawli will have to come up with a solid plan against a strong Lebanon side. Without Sandesh Jhingan, Mehtab Singh or Pritam Kotal could be paired with the experienced defender Anwar Ali in defense. Sahal Abdul Samad will return in the midfield, which means Naorem Mahesh Singh will make way for him. However, with the absence of Rahim Ali, additional responsibility will fall on captain Sunil Chhetri.
India's probable lineup against Lebanon could be:
Amrinder Singh (Goalkeeper), Nikhil Poojari, Pritam Kotal/Mehtab Singh, Anwar Ali, Akash Mishra, Jeakson Singh, Anirudh Thapa, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Sahal Abdul Samad, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Sunil Chhetri (captain).
