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After a long wait and several flight cancellations, the India men’s under-23 football team is finally in South Korea for the 2014 Asian Games but they couldn’t have wished for a tougher start as their first opponents are 2010 silver-medalists UAE on Monday.
UAE will be clear favourites for this clash on Monday and even the most ardent Indian football fan won’t have much optimism following the team’s poor showing in the friendly series with Pakistan last month.
But Wim Koevermans’ side could draw inspiration from the result between the Under-22 sides of these two nations in 2012. India faced UAE in an Under-22 Asian Cup qualifier in Oman on June 28 2012 and managed to hold the West Asian nation to a 1-1 draw.
Six players of India’s Asian Games squad were part of the U-22 team that got that famous result, while four of them – Narayan Das, Pronay Halder, Milan Singh and Lalrindika Ralte - started. Goalkeeper Ravi Kumar and right back Pritam Kotal were on the bench.
The team was coached by Australian Arthur Papas, who is now in charge of Dempo, and Koevermans attended the game after being the newly-appointed India senior team coach.
UAE will be favourites again this time because they reached the final in 2010 and the fact that they are placed much higher in the continent than India. But the 2012 result suggests that the gap may not be that big between the two countries and if India are underdogs, they can make up for the gulf in class with determination and fighting spirit.
Those qualities were evident in abundance two years ago under Papas as despite going behind to an early goal, the India U-22 team showed great resilience and the 87th minute equaliser from Romeo Fernandes gave them the point they deserved.
Looking back on that game and India’s performance, Papas told Sportskeeda, “My memories from that game in particular are of a group of players who displayed a burning desire to fight for each other to the last minute culminating in our late equaliser. We were able to execute the tactical plan to a high level and nullify the strengths of the UAE side and showed that on any given day, favourites is not something that guarantees a result.
“What I will always remember is the fantastic team spirit that existed within the group and this was harnessed to help us achieve some very credible results for the country. We matched UAE toe to toe in every department and made it clear from the outset that our intention was to play to win, rather than avoid losing. Overall, a great experience for that whole group and myself included.”
The India U-23 side need to produce something similar at the Hwaseong Sports Complex in Hwaseong, South Korea on Monday to not only get a positive result and remain in hunt for a knockout berth but also do justice to the troubles the AIFF took in sending the team for this prestigious tournament. And at the same time show Sports Authority of India (SAI) that this group of players always deserved a chance to compete at the Asiad.
