No Hossain, Fernandes in India’s 26 probables list for WC qualifier

New Delhi, March 2: Veteran midfielder Mehtab Hossain and young striker Romeo Fernandes missed out on the the list of 26 probables who would attend the preparatory camp for India’s impending home and away matches against Nepal in the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

The squad would be reporting to the camp in Guwahati from March 4 onwards. The first match between India and Nepal would be played at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium in Sajusarai, near Guwahati on March 12, while the return leg is slated to be played in Kathmandu on March 17.

A list of 32 probables were earlier announced by new chief coach Stephen Constantine, which featured both Hossain and the 22-year-old Fernandes.

The list of the 26 probables for the home and away matches of the Preliminary Joint Qualification Round 1 for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Subrata Paul (Salgaocar SC) Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Stabek FC), Arindam Bhattacharya (Kalyani Bharat Football Club).

Defenders: Keegan Pereira( Bengaluru FC), Shaumik Dey, Arnab Mondal (East Bengal), Aiborlang Khongjee (Shillong Lajong Football Club), Sandesh Jhingan (Sporting Clube de Goa), Augstine Fernandes (Salgaocar SC), Pritam Kotal (Mohun Bagan).

Midfielders: Prabir Das, Francis Fernandes, Lenny Rodrigues (all Dempo SC), Eugeneson Lyngdoh (Bengaluru FC), Anthony D'Souza (Pune FC), Cavin Lobo, Lalrindika Ralte (both East Bengal), Dhanapal Ganesh (Pune FC).

Forwards: Mandar Rao Desai, Alwyn George, Holicharan Narzary (all Dempo SC), Sunil Chhetri, Robin Singh (both Bengaluru FC), Balwant Singh, Jeje Lalpekhlua (both Mohun Bagan) and Jackichand Singh (Royal Wahingdoh).