Indian U17 Team Prepares for AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers
The Indian U17 men’s football team, known as the Blue Colts, recently celebrated their victory in the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) U17 Championship in Bhutan. However, there is no time for rest as they are back in Srinagar, training for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Thailand from October 23 to 27.
Coach Ishfaq Ahmed’s Insights
Head coach Ishfaq Ahmed, who led the team to back-to-back SAFF titles, emphasized the importance of consistency and improvement. He noted that 16 out of the 23 players were part of the previous year’s winning squad. Ahmed expressed satisfaction with the team’s defensive organization but highlighted the need for better concentration and finishing, especially after conceding two quick goals against Nepal in the semi-final.
Upcoming Challenges
India is grouped with Brunei Darussalam, Turkmenistan, and hosts Thailand in the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers. The group winners and the five best runners-up will qualify for the final tournament in Saudi Arabia next year. Ahmed stressed the importance of converting chances, drawing lessons from the India U20s, who missed out on qualification due to goal difference.
Focus on Improvement
The team is focusing on improving their attacking and defending set pieces, counter-attacks, and finishing. Ahmed believes the first match against Brunei will set the tone for the qualifiers. The team aims to be more lethal in front of the goal to avoid regrets.
Doubts Revealed
U17 Team -: The U17 team is a group of young football players who are all under the age of 17. They represent India in international football competitions.
SAFF -: SAFF stands for South Asian Football Federation. It is an organization that promotes football in South Asia and organizes tournaments like the SAFF U17 Championship.
AFC -: AFC stands for Asian Football Confederation. It is the governing body of football in Asia and organizes competitions like the AFC U17 Asian Cup.
Qualifiers -: Qualifiers are matches or tournaments that teams play to earn a spot in a bigger competition. The Indian U17 team is playing in qualifiers to try and reach the AFC U17 Asian Cup.
Srinagar -: Srinagar is a city in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is where the Indian U17 team is currently preparing for their upcoming matches.
Set pieces -: Set pieces in football are planned plays that happen after the game is stopped, like free kicks or corner kicks. The team is practicing these to improve their chances of scoring goals.
Finishing -: Finishing in football means successfully scoring a goal. The team is working on improving their ability to score when they have the chance.
