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21 goals in 4 matches so far!
A day prior to the SAFF U-15 Championship final between India U-15 and Nepal U-15 scheduled to be played at the Kalyani Stadium tomorrow, August 31, despite both coaches preferring to sound cautious, those 21 conversions from the Indian team came back to remind everyone about the quality of football on display at this Championship.
Add to that the 11 goals in the four matches scored by Nepal.
Indian U-15 National Coach Bibiano Fernandes smiled. “I am happy and fortunate to have this set of players with me. The manner in they have been working hard, and have stayed hungry in every match has been splendid. Himanshu has scored two hat-tricks in two consecutive matches. I just hope they continue the momentum.”
Bibiano’s rival counterpart Sunil Shreshtha nodded. “India are very strong in attack. They use the flanks well, and their strikers know how to handle the feed. They are also very fit, and their physical presence is something which we are wary of,” he added.
The two teams last met in the opening match of the Championship, a match where India ran home winners 5-0.
“But the final will be an entirely different match. We never look back to the past, and take things for granted,” Bibiano quipped. “Nepal have improving with every match. We have watched them, and know they can be extremely dangerous. They have been quite exemplary in their last two matches. So I am not reading much in our opening match victory,” Bibiano cautioned.
Shreshtha admitted that “Nepal have improved with every given match.”
“We hadn’t settled down in our first match. Since then, we have acclimatised ourselves. Obviously finishing has stayed a problem, but the manner the boys have responded in the last two matches have given us confidence,” Shreshtha commented. “We have studied India’s style of play, and have a plan for India,” he stressed.
Look around, and you will get submerged into a sea of green. Leave aside the lush turf, everything, and everywhere is just green with the majestic Kalyani lake overlooking the stadium. Everything is so serene, and picturesque.
“The hunger in my team has been our driving point,” Bibiano took over. “In our match against Bangladesh, we rested some, and played the others. Now I am spoilt for choices,” Bibiano smiled again.
“This championship has been a great preparation for us before the AFC qualifiers. It has been a challenge to play against International teams in a centralised competition, and mind you – every team has a different playing style,” Bibiano stated.
The India U-15 boys next proceed to Turkey for another exposure tour from where they go directly to the AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers in Uzbekistan where they have been clubbed with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Bahrain.
The kick-off on Saturday is slated for 3pm, and the match will be live streamed on https://bit.ly/34eG5DF
