Sunil Chhetri’s Indian national football squad embarked on their Asian Games 2023 campaign with a challenging 5-1 defeat at the hands of China in their opening Group A encounter. Nevertheless, they bounced back impressively in their second fixture against Bangladesh, securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory. Their group stage journey culminated in a 1-1 draw against Myanmar, leaving India in second place in Group A with four points garnered from three matches – featuring a solitary win, a loss, and a draw.
Now, the Blue Tigers are poised to clash with football giants Saudi Arabia on September 28th at the Huanglong Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou. Igor Stimac and his squad face an imposing challenge as they prepare to take on Saudi Arabia.
Regarding India’s Round of 16 opponents, Saudi Arabia has demonstrated formidable prowess in the tournament thus far. Competing in Group B alongside Iran, Vietnam, and Mongolia, Saudi Arabia played to a goalless draw with Iran, followed by commanding victories of 3-0 against Mongolia and 3-1 over Vietnam.
Speaking in anticipation of the upcoming match, India’s coach Igor Stimac expressed his sentiments on X (formerly known as Twitter), saying, “From sleeping in airports to conducting recovery sessions in parks across China, I wanted to personally extend my gratitude to all my players representing India at the Asian Games. These young men exhibit unwavering professionalism and are giving their all to bring pride to our nation. Despite facing numerous challenges, we’ve achieved our primary goal of advancing to the Round of 16, and these players truly deserve your admiration and support.”
India vs Saudi Arabia: Details of the 2023 Asian Games clash
Match: India vs Saudi Arabia, Round of 16, Asian Games 2023
Venue: Huanglong Sports Center Stadium in Hangzhou, China.
Timings: 5.00 pm IST on Thursday, September 28.
India vs Saudi Arabia: Where will the 2023 Asian Games clash will be telecast?
The match between India and Saudi Arabia will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network from 5.00 pm IST on Thursday.
India vs Saudi Arabia: Where will the 2023 Asian Games clash will be livestreamed?
The game between India and Saudi Arabia will also be available for live stream on SonyLiv on Thursday.