Ryan Williams (ANI Photo)
KOCHI: All eyes will be on Ryan Williams when India take on Hong Kong in their final AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifier at the JLN stadium on Tuesday. While both sides are already out of contention, this fixture is far from just a mere formality, with valuable FIFA ranking points still up for grabs and a chance for India to sign off on a positive note in front of their home fans.Much of the spotlight will be on 32-year-old winger Williams, who is set to make his India debut. Born in Perth, Williams drew attention last year, when he relinquished his Australian citizenship to represent India. Despite the buzz around his potential inclusion, head coach Khalid Jamil remained non-committal, noting that the team has multiple attacking options and that a final decision on the lineup would only be made on Tuesday morning.
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India head into the game placed at the bottom of Group C with just two points from five games. Even a win over Hong Kong would not be enough to lift them off the foot of the table, as third-placed Bangladesh, with five points, hold the advantage on head-to-head record.India are also the only team in the group yet to secure a victory.Jamil said that this game could be a dive into the unknown for India, given the slew of changes in the Hong Kong squad. “We are already out of contention, but we need to finish strong. A lot has changed since we played Hong Kong last year. They have a new team and a new coach,” Jamil said.
