Indian Football Team to return to action with Oman, UAE friendlies

The squad will assemble in Dubai for a camp ahead of both games.

The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has confirmed two international friendlies for the Indian Football Team in March 2021. The Blue Tigers will take on Oman in the first match on March 25 while the second match is scheduled against United Arab Emirates on March 29.

Both the matches will be held in Dubai.

It was in November 2019 that the Blue Tigers last played at the International arena in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers against Afghanistan (in Tajikistan) and Oman (in Muscat). India currently stand on 3 points from the 5 matches which they have played so far with two home matches against Asian Champions Qatar and Afghanistan, and an away game against Bangladesh yet to be played.

As part of the preparation for the two matches against Oman and UAE in March, the National Team Tigers will assemble in a preparatory camp from March 15 onwards. The camp will also be held in Dubai under Head Coach Igor Stimac to allow the boys to acclimatise faster.

The two Friendlies come on the back of the U-16 Boy’s National Team having travelled to UAE in February 2021, and the Women’s National Team’s tour to Turkey where they played matches against Serbia, Russia and Ukraine.

The games will be crucial as the team have been out of action for a lengthy period of time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two games in Dubai will serve as vital preparation for the team ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2022 Qualifiers away to Bangladesh and at home to Afghanistan in June later this year.

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