The national football team will be looking to justify the last three months of training they have undergone,when they take on Hong Kong in a friendly game at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi on Monday. This is the teams first international fixture since their practice tour of Portugal earlier this year. The Indian side will be hoping to avenge the defeat they suffered in Hong Kong in early 2009,where they lost 2-1. The two teams had also played out a draw at the 2006 Asian Games at Doha. Thus with both teams having a point to prove,the game at Pune,which is debuting as an international football venue,has plenty of reasons to be interesting. Indias coach Bob Houghton felt that both teams are evenly matched. He added,But our team has been together for the last three months and having played as a single unit will surely help us to perform better. During the pre-match briefing,Houghton explained,The game will also provide opportunity for non regulars to play and make their mark as it will test our bench strength. The Indian team,which is also scheduled to play Yemen and Vietnam on October 8 and October 13 respectively,has been hampered due to injuries to key players,which includes defenders Mahesh Gawli and Anwar Ali,midfielder NP Pradeep as well as strikers Mohammad Rafi and team captain Bhaichung Bhutia,who flew back to Kolkata soon after the Indian team arrived in the city,and has rejoined the team but is not expected to play. Midfielder Climax Lawrence is set to lead the side in his absence. Houghtons counterpart Tsang Wai Chung (Hong Kong) also agreed that the game on Monday will be close and graciously accepted that over the past 18 months the Indian team has improved considerably. A close match is certainly in the offing, he mused. It will be good test for our players,a few of them are members of the Under-23 side which form the crux of the Asian Games team to be held later this year. Tsang added,It (the friendly game) will give them good experience. Tsang has taken over National duty since May this year and the new team he formed has been together since August.
