5 things to watch out for in the much awaited India-Puerto Rico clash
Come Saturday, the 3rd of September, and the country will witness the biggest international friendly for the Indian National football team in more than a decade. Coincidentally, it will also be the first international match to be played in Mumbai in 61 years.
152nd ranked India take on their opponents from the Caribbean, 114th ranked Puerto Rico at the newly constructed Mumbai Football Arena with both countries boasting young teams all fired up to prove their mettle. Here we take a look at the top 5 things to watch out for in this eagerly awaited match-up.
5) Midfield magic from Eugeneson Lyngdoh
Bengaluru FC football fans (some of the most knowledgeable and also most passionate in the country) swear by the genius of Eugeneson Lyngdoh. So much so that he’s been given the enviable moniker of Midfield Magician!
His exploits in the I-League caught the eye of the big timers and he was picked up for a whopping sum of 1.05 crores by FC Pune City for the Indian Super League. Eugene lived up to the hype, turning in some fabulous performances for the David Platt coached side, the highlight being a peach of a header to score against FC Goa in the 5th match of the season.
Also Read: Interview with Eugeneson Lyngdoh: East Bengal goal was my most memorable moment this season
Atrociously two-footed, Lyngdoh’s repertoire includes a penchant for pinpoint crosses and devastating set piece abilities. From Ashley Westwood to Stephen Constantine, all of Lyngdoh’s gaffers so far have entrusted him with set piece duties for their respective teams, sometimes at the expense of more illustrious and experienced members present in the squad.
Handed his international debut in 2015, for the national team, Eugene has unfortunately so far flattered to deceive. Both the player and his fans will be hoping for him to come good soon and what better game to start than when India play their biggest friendly in more than a decade against a much higher ranked Puerto Rico team.
In order to beat the American Islanders, the Indian team will need to keep its wits together and they will definitely be hoping for their very own midfield magician to spin an un-ravellable web of deceit around their opponents.