CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND: With the second New Zealand vs India friendly scheduled at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch on Sunday, November 15, the Indian men’s football team will look to put their disappointing start to the tour behind them. The Blue Tigers suffered a humiliating 0-5 defeat in the first encounter in Auckland and will hope to produce an improved performance.
New Zealand dominated proceedings in Auckland, with Jesse Randall scoring twice, while Chris Wood and Lachlan Bayliss also found the net. An own goal from Bijoy Varghese gave the hosts an advantage, while India struggled to contain the opposition’s attacking threat despite some impressive goalkeeping from Vishal Kaith.
The second New Zealand vs India clash will give head coach Khalid Jamil another opportunity to assess his squad against a FIFA World Cup-playing nation. For New Zealand, the match will also mark Darren Bazeley’s final game in charge of the national team. In this article, we preview this all-important encounter.
What are New Zealand’s strengths?
New Zealand will head into the second encounter with considerable confidence following their five-goal performance in Auckland. The All Whites demonstrated their physical superiority, attacking movement and ability to exploit spaces in India’s defensive structure.
Jesse Randall was particularly impressive in the first fixture, scoring twice in the first half to put the hosts firmly in control. Nottingham Forest striker Chris Wood also demonstrated his aerial threat with a second-half header, while Lachlan Bayliss added another goal with a well-taken volley.
However, coach Bazeley has indicated that he intends to rotate his squad for the Christchurch fixture. The New Zealand head coach has also hinted at the possibility of playing Chris Wood alongside Corban Piper in attack, which could offer the hosts a different attacking combination.
The All Whites will look to maintain their physical approach while making use of their attacking depth. With the advantage of playing at home, they will once again be favourites to control proceedings.
New Zealand vs India predicted lineup for the home team (4-2-3-1): Gray; Tuiloma, Boxall, Kelly-Heald, McGarry; Rufer, Garbett; Walker, Piper, Randall; Wood.
Can a comeback be expected from India?
India have plenty to improve upon after their disappointing performance in Auckland. The Blue Tigers struggled to deal with New Zealand’s pressing and physicality, particularly during the first half, when they conceded three goals.
Vishal Kaith was among India’s best performers despite the heavy defeat. The goalkeeper made several important saves and even denied Bill Tuiloma from the penalty spot in the second half. His performance will give Khalid Jamil some encouragement ahead of the second New Zealand vs India game.
India showed glimpses of attacking potential through Ryan Williams, Liston Colaco and Jithin MS. However, the team lacked the finishing touch in the final third, while their defensive organisation left considerable room for improvement.
Jamil will be keen to see a more disciplined performance from his players, particularly in midfield and defence. Anirudh Thapa will once again be important in dictating the tempo, while Ryan Williams could provide an attacking outlet through his movement and ability to carry the ball forward.
The introduction of fresh faces could also help India approach the game differently. Muhammad Suhail and Ricky Meetei Haobam made their international debuts in Auckland, while David Lalhlansanga and Tomba Singh Haobam came off the bench.
New Zealand vs India predicted lineup for the visiting team (4-2-3-1): Kaith; Gupta, Mehtab, Varghese, Mishra; Thapa, Hnamte; Suhail, Williams, Jithin; David.
New Zealand vs India match prediction
The home team will enter this New Zealand vs India fixture as clear favourites following their dominant performance in the opening encounter. Their physical presence, attacking quality and greater international experience give them a significant advantage over the Indians.
India, however, will be determined to respond after the 0-5 defeat. A more organised defensive display and greater composure in possession could help the Blue Tigers make the contest more competitive.
With Darren Bazeley expected to rotate his squad, the hosts could offer India a few more opportunities than they did in Auckland. Nevertheless, New Zealand have enough quality and depth to secure another victory.
Predicted result: New Zealand 2-0 India
Where can I watch New Zealand vs India?
The New Zealand vs India international friendly will be streamed live on FIFA+, via DAZN. Indian viewers can follow the match online through this platform. There will be no live television broadcast in India. The match will kick off at 8:40 AM IST on Sunday, November 15, at the One New Zealand Stadium in Christchurch.
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Cover image courtesy: AIFF
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