India will take on a strong Oman side in the first match of their qualifying campaign for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup here on Sunday. Head coach Igor Stimac said the next three matches of the qualifying campaign will give Indian players a chance to find out where they “stand against their generation” from other Asian nations.
“The next three matches give the youngsters a chance to gain some experience and stand against their generation of strong sides like Oman, the United Arab Emirates and the Kyrgyz Republic,” Stimac said at a news conference on Saturday. The Indian team landed here on October 20 and the next day had its first training session. “We don’t have high expectations. We hope everyone gives their best on the pitch. That’s what I’m asking the players,” Stimac said. “At this point in time, it is difficult to say how we will fare against stronger sides who are more prepared than us for this phase. But I also hope we can surprise some. We will find our chances.” India have been placed in Group E along with hosts UAE, Oman and Kyrgyz Republic.
Asked to rate Oman as an opponent, Stimac said: “We have analyzed the games that Oman played in the last tournament they played. “We tried to explain to our players about their strengths, and how we should play, but we need to see how we can execute it on the field. “Every match brings up different situations at certain stages, and then it’s all about how the players can adapt and move on,” the coach said.
Five of the U-23 players were in the senior national team that won the SAFF Championship in Maldives last week. “I hope that his experience of playing with the senior national team will boost the team’s confidence, make others comfortable and encourage everyone to play well at this stage of the qualifiers,” Stimac said.
“We were happy with the qualifying round of the Asian Cup in which we played twice with the Asian Champions (Qatar) on our own ground. We conceded just one goal which shows that India are getting stronger defensively. “We were extremely organized and disciplined. It is good to think of a better future for Indian football. We have also qualified for the third round in the Asian Cup Qualifiers, and look forward to qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023.”
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