The burden of expectations was apparent when India football coach Armando Colaco stepped in for a media session ahead of their World Cup qualifying second-leg match against the UAE at the Ambedkar Stadium on Thursday.

India might be going into the game as crowd favourites, but the UAE have done enough in the past to ensure that fans return home disheartened.

Hosting the first-leg tie at Al-Ain, last Saturday, the men from the emirates thrashed the visitors 3-0, who were reduced to a nine men.

To India’s dismay, ace goalkeeper Subrata Pal and defender Debabrata Roy were given the red card in the very first few minutes of the match.

Not being able to cope with the setback, Colaco admitted that the two penalties conceded had demoralised the team further.

India will now have to beat the UAE by a 3-0 margin — and not concede another goal — to keep their third round hopes alive.

“That is quite a mountain to climb. And if we begin attacking, I am frightened that we may be punished. UAE are a strong team,” Colaco admitted here on Wednesday.

Leading the side this time will be midfielder Lawrence Climax, who is confident of a good show, even in the absence of Pal and Roy.

Aiming for a win, Climax said his team would be a stronger side as it would be an 11 vs 11 contest this time.

“We were a 9-man side for 70 minutes and still defended well. We only conceded the third goal in the last 10 minutes,” Climax said.

Colaco will be going in with a 4-4-2 formation, with Lawrence and Mehtab Hossain starting at the center.

With Steven Dias on the right flank, Clifford Miranda will be the new man on the left, while Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua will play up front.

Climax and Mehtab will have defenders Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Samir Naik and Syed Rahim Nabi behind them.

Goalkeeper Karanjit Singh, who stepped up after Pal’s dismissal, will start under the bar.

Interestingly, veteran goalkeeper Sandip Nandy and Harmanjot Khabra have been named as the two replacements, but will not start.

At the same time, India will have to watch out for the three UAE players who scored in the last game, Hamdan al-Kamali (21st) Mohamed al-Shhehi (29th) and Ismail al-Hammadi (80th)

UAE coach Srecko Katanec, however, admitted that despite being the stronger side, they would not take India lightly.

“India play an aggressive game in the first 15-20 minutes and then mellow down. But we must be focused as it is an 11 vs 11 game this time. Even in the last game we missed two chances,” he said.

The most noteable change in the UAE squad will be striker Ismail Mattar, who the coach revealed has not traveled with the team.

Having lost to the UAE twice before the first leg tie, once in November in a friendly and then in the Asian Cup, playing at home should provide some inspiration for the hosts.

Besides, home conditions could be a huge advantage for the team, who defeated the UAE 1-0 in the 2002 qualifying round at Bengaluru.

Squads:
India: Karanjit Singh, Gouramangi Singh, Raju Gaikwad, Samir Naik, Syed Rahim Nabi, Climax Lawrence, Mehtab Hossain, Steven Dias, Clifford Miranda, Sunil Chhetri, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Sandip Nandy, Harmanjhot Khabra, Laxmikant Kattimani, Lalrindika Ralte, Sushil Kumar, Mahesh Gawli, Robert Lalthlamuana, Jewel Raja, Lal Kamal Bhowmick, Baljit Sahni, Valeriano Rebello, Rowlinson Rodrigues.

UAE: Mohamed Ahmad ali-Gharib, Adel Mohamed Ali Alhosani, Salem Saleh Musallam al-Rejaibi, Amir Mubarak Ghanim Alhammadi, Fares Juma Alsaadi, Ali Ahmed Alwhaibi, Walid Abbas Murad, Ismail Salem Ismail Alhammadi, Khalid Sebil Ibrahim, Ahmed Jumaa Alaraimi al-Junaibi, Theyab Awana Ahmed, Amer Abdulrahman Abdulla, Ahmed Khalil Aljunaibi, Mohamed Fawzi Johar Abdulla, Ahmed Ali Salem al-Abri, Mohd Jamal Atiq Farhan, Hamdan Ismaeel al-Kamali, Mohamed Saeed Alshehhi, Ali Kheif Housani, Obaid M Obaid Alsuwaidi, Musallem Fayez Muftah al-Hamdani, Yousef Jaber Naser al-Hammadi.