India’s head coach Igor Stimac is confident that his team is capable of competing against teams outside the top eight in Asia.
Under Stimac’s guidance, the Indian men’s football team qualified for the AFC Asian Cup with three wins out of three in the third round of the qualifiers as the team defeated Cambodia, Afghanistan And Hong Kong scored eight goals and just one goal in return.
The Croatian believes that India, ranked 19th in Asia, can hold their own against most teams in next year’s AFC Asian Cup and for the first time in their history the competition’s knockout stages (Round of 16). can qualify for.
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“At the moment, we can play the same game with all the teams that are from eighth place in the Asian rankings to where we stand,” Stimac told the Times of India. India During an online conversation.
“I’m not saying we can dominate these games, it just won’t be true. But we can find a way to win these games.”
The Blue Tigers missed making the cut by a whisker in the next leg of the competition in 2019, when they were undone by a late penalty against Bahrain. The 0–1 loss meant India finished fourth in their group and failed to qualify for the Round of 16 despite winning their first match 4–1 against Thailand.
In 2011, India had lost all three matches of its group. Thus, Stimac has stressed that it is important for India to break this barrier and compete in the knockout stage of the competition.
“When the Asian Cup happens, we need to make sure we find a way to go through the group. We can do this. Once this happens, everything is possible. It’s 90 minutes and anything can happen in football,” Stimac said.
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India have almost a year to prepare for the AFC Asian Cup and with the Durand Cup, Hero ISL and Super Cup planning a long domestic calendar, the Blue Tigers are sure to be in good shape for the competition.
The Croatian coach is also trying to maximize the international window between seasons to prepare his team.
“We will look for similar or better opponents. We will have to see which teams are available,” Stimac said.
Stimac also urged that friendly games be staged in India so that the team devoid of matches on home soil due to the Covid-19 pandemic can feel the love of support.
“I am still insisting that the teams come to India. We have traveled a lot and haven’t got a chance to play 50 per cent friendly matches on home soil. We need to use these sports to promote football in the country. We need to go to other states, other places, not just where football is already popular,” Stimac said.
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