India U20 Football Team Prepares for Crucial Match Against Maldives in SAFF Championship
The India U20 Men’s National Team is determined to secure their semi-final spot in the SAFF U20 Championship 2024. They are gearing up to face the Maldives in their second and last match of Group B.
Despite a strong start with a 1-0 victory against Bhutan, the team has faced challenges due to continuous rain in Nepal, which has disrupted their training sessions. Head coach Ranjan Chaudhuri explained, “It is certainly not an ideal situation. We cannot afford to just sit back and not train, but at the same time, we cannot risk injuries to our players either.”
On the eve of the Maldives game, the team trained on the athletic tracks around the Army ground in Kathmandu to avoid the waterlogged pitches. Chaudhuri added, “After seeing the conditions, my coaching staff and I decided that we would rather do a few drills with the boys on the athletic track and go ahead with the game tomorrow (Friday).”
India has three points from one match and needs only a draw against the Maldives to qualify as group toppers. The Maldives, having lost 1-2 to Bhutan, will be looking for their first points. Chaudhuri emphasized, “A draw may be enough for us, but we will go in with a winning mentality.”
India will miss centre-back Pramveer and playmaker Vanlalpeka Guite due to suspensions. Chaudhuri encouraged the team to use these setbacks as motivation, saying, “We must answer every setback with a victory. At the end of the day, nothing will answer the naysayers better than success.”
The match against the Maldives will kick off at 2.45 pm IST at the ANFA Complex in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Friday, August 23, 2024, and will be streamed live on the Sportsworkz YouTube channel.
Doubts Revealed
India U20 -: This means the Indian football team for players who are under 20 years old.
Maldives -: The Maldives is a small island country in the Indian Ocean, known for its beautiful beaches.
SAFF Championship -: SAFF stands for South Asian Football Federation. It’s a football tournament for countries in South Asia.
Group B -: In tournaments, teams are divided into groups. Group B is one of these groups.
Bhutan -: Bhutan is a small country in the Himalayas, near India.
Nepal -: Nepal is a country in South Asia, known for Mount Everest.
Ranjan Chaudhuri -: He is the head coach of the India U20 football team.
ANFA Complex -: This is a sports facility in Kathmandu, Nepal, where the match will be played.
Kathmandu -: Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal.
Sportsworkz YouTube channel -: This is a YouTube channel where you can watch the match live.