Hero Tri-Nation International Football Tournament: Know about India's opponents Kyrgyz Republic

The Indian men's senior national team lock horns with Kyrgyz Republic in the final game of the Hero Tri-Nation International Tournament at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal, on Tuesday. Having secured a 1-0 victory in the inaugural match against Myanmar, the Blue Tigers need just a draw to secure the title.

Kyrgyz Republic, on the other hand, would be looking to bounce back after sharing the spoils in a 1-1 draw with Myanmar in their second game of the tournament. The White Falcons, as they are commonly known, are currently placed 94th in the FIFA rankings – 12 ranks above India – and have a quality squad.

Ahead of the meeting between the two teams, here is a detailed look at Kygryz Republic:

History

The Kyrgyz Republic have a promising team that has advanced significantly during the last ten years. The White Falcons were ranked 201st in the FIFA rankings in March 2013, which was the lowest ranking.

In severe need of redevelopment and restructuring, the side appointed Russian Aleksandr Krestinin as their head coach in 2014. Things have drastically improved under the tutelage of Krestinin. The nation began to make significant strides with Krestinin at the helm, and in 2018, they reached their highest-ever FIFA ranking of 75th.

They further progressed and qualified for the Round of 16 of the AFC Asian Cup campaign for the first-time ever in the 2019 edition in a group that comprised South Korea, China, and Phillippines. They have also qualified for the 2023 edition after finishing second in their group during the third round of the qualifiers.

Form Guide

Last five matches - LWWDL

Since their friendly match against Russia in September 2022, the Kyrgyz Republic did not played a competitive match until their match against Myanmar on March 22.

Kyrgyz Republic's last competitive game was a 0-0 draw at home against Tajikistan in the third round of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers. In the three games played during these qualifiers, the Kyrgyz Republic came out on top twice, securing wins against Myanmar and Singapore, while sharing points only with Tajikistan in their tie.

Head-to-Head Record

India and Kyrgyz Republic have come up against each other five times, twice in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 qualifiers, twice in the Nehru Cup (2007 and 2009 editions), and once during the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup in Sri Lanka. India won four of these games with their only defeat coming during the AFC Challenge Cup.

Key Players

Shukurov Alimardon

Midfielder Shukorov Alimardon is the skipper of the team and orchestrates the gameplay from the middle third. He is known for his line-breaking passes and is quick enough to drop his marker by his constant positional awareness. Despite being only 23, he exudes confidence and poses a continuous danger in set-piece scenarios.

Zhyrgalbek Uulu Kairat

The versatile right-back is known for his physicality and could pose a threat against India. In their opening game against Myanmar, Kairat scored late in the game and won a hard-earned point for his side after being deployed as a right-wing later in the game.