look news india
New Delhi, August 22 (HS). The Indian football team will look to continue its winning momentum against Maldives in the SAFF Under-20 Championship at the ANFA Sports Complex in Nepal on Friday.
The Indian team won their first match against Bhutan by 1-0, with Monirul Molla scoring the only goal of the match in conjunction with Kelvin Singh Taorem.
But head coach Ranjan Chowdhury will have to delve deep into the squad to find replacements for Vanlalpeka Guite and Pramvir, both of whom are suspended following red cards in their opening game.
“The way our boys fought back after two red cards is really commendable. It is not easy to set up a stable structure with nine players but they managed to hold the fort. It speaks a lot about their character,” Chowdhary told the AIFF website.
India topped Group B after winning its first match. India will play Nepal on August 26 for a place in the semi-finals. Host Nepal defeated Bangladesh 2-1 in a group stage match today.
“Of course, we are here to become SAFF champions. This is the first time I am playing at the U-20 level, so things are a bit different. Every country is gradually improving, but we are also a strong side, but we have improved a lot since last year. Every player here has been playing in some club with senior players in domestic football, which means everyone here comes with a certain level of experience,” India captain Ricky Meitei told the AIFF website.
Maldives, on the other hand, are yet to earn a point having lost their only game 1-2 to Bhutan on August 21.