Indian women’s football team begins preparatory camp for upcoming 2014 AFC qualifiers in Pune today

The Indian senior women’s football team’s preparatory camp for the upcoming 2014 AFC 2014 qualifiers begins at the Pune FC Ground in Pune today.

As many as 35 probables would go through the paces under the watchful eyes of national chief coach Anadi Barua, who was recently retained for the same job after guiding the India eves to a stunning solitary goal win over the Netherlands in an international friendly game in Navi Mumbai last January, after the hosts had lost the first of the two matches at Kolhapur 0-2.

The camp would be a forty-day affair and would run till May 10. According to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) sources, the probables would be pruned to 30 on May 1 and subsequently cut down to 23 by May 10.

India eves are expected to travel to Nepal for five days to play two practice games before heading to Bahrain to play two more practice matches before the team reaches Palestine on May 18th or 19th where the 2014 AFC 2014 qualifiers would be held from May 21-25.

India are clubbed in a tough Group D featuring the likes of Chinese Taipei, Myanmar and Palestine.

Indian women, ranked 51st in the FIFA world rankings, would have their work cut out against sides like Chinese Taipei and Myanmar, who are ranked above them.

Chinese Taipei is ranked 41st while Myanmar is ranked 46th. Hosts Palestine are ranked 91st.

India would launch their campaign on the opening day of the tournament taking on Myanmar at the Faisal Al Huseni Stadium, West Bank on May 21st. The women in blue next take on Chinese Taipei on May 23.

India eves would wrap up their engagements with their final league tie against Palestine on May 25.

It may be mentioned here that the Group B matches would be held in Bangladesh around the same time (from May 21-25) featuring hosts Bangladesh, Thailand, Philippines and Iran.

The Group C matches would be held in Bahrain from May 22-26 featuring hosts Bahrain, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Hong Kong, while the Group A matches would be held in Jordan from June 5-9 featuring hosts Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Uzbekistan.

All the four group winners will join the four direct entrants – Korea, Australia, China and Japan at the 2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

Australia are the current champions, having won the 2010 edition edging out North Korea 5-4 (11) on penalties in the final held in Chengdu, China.

It may be worth recalling that the first AFC Women’s Asian Cup was first held in 1975 where New Zealand won the title, pipping China 3-1 in Hong Kong.

China has won this tournament eight times, while North Korea and Chinese Taipei have won it thrice. Significantly, China have won the crown seven consecutive times from 1986 to 1999.