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India U23 head coach Naushad Moosa announced a 23-member squad for friendlies against Tajikistan and Kyrgyz Republic ahead of AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers.
India U23 men’s football team (AIFF)
India U23 men’s team head coach Naushad Moosa announced a 23-member squad, on Monday, June 16, for the friendly matches against Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic.
The Blue Colts have been training at the AIFF National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata since June 1 and will depart for Tajikistan on Monday evening. As part of their preparations for the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers in September, India will play against Tajikistan on June 18 and the Kyrgyz Republic on June 21. Both matches will kick off at 20:30 IST at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor, approximately 25 kilometres from Tajikistan’s capital, Dushanbe.
“These two matches against Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic will help us understand the level of our players and identify areas for improvement. For now, I’m pleased with our preparations. We won a few practice matches by large margins, but they weren’t very competitive,” said Moosa.
The camp began with 29 players, of whom 20 made the final list. Moosa’s squad was strengthened by the addition of forward Suhail Ahmad Bhat, midfielder Ayush Chhetri, and defender Tekcham Abhishek Singh, who joined the U23 camp after completing their duties with the senior national team during the June FIFA Window games against Thailand and Hong Kong.
“After these friendlies, we will gain a better understanding of our players and what we need to work on further. I believe our opponents are of a fairly good level. It’s crucial to play against such teams when preparing for the U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, where we will face Qatar and Bahrain,” Moosa added.
India U23’s 23-member squad for June friendlies in Tajikistan:
Goalkeepers: Mohd Arbaz, Priyansh Dubey, Sahil.
Defenders: Bikash Yumnam, Dippendu Biswas, Muhammed Saheef AP, Nikhil Barla, Pramveer, Subham Bhattacharya, Tekcham Abhishek Singh.
Midfielders: Ayush Chhetri, Chingangbam Shivaldo Singh, Lalremtluanga Fanai, Lalrinliana Hnamte, Macarton Louis Nickson, Mohammed Aimen, Vibin Mohanan, Vinith Venkatesh.
Forwards: Joseph Sunny, Mohammed Sanan K, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Thingujam Korou Singh.
Head Coach: Naushad Moosa
Assistant Coach: Remus Damiao Gomes
Goalkeeper Coach: Dipankar Choudhary
Strength and Conditioning Coach: Diwakar Manohar
India U23’s Match Schedule:
- June 18: Tajikistan vs India (20:30 IST)
- June 21: India vs Kyrgyz Republic (20:30 IST)
Venue: Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor, Tajikistan
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov…Read More
Ritayan Basu, Senior Sub-Editor, Sports at News18.com. Has been covering domestic and and international football for nearly a decade. Has played and covered badminton. Ocassionally writes on cricket, having cov… Read More
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