December 12, 2024 10:26 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Devendra Fadnavis meets PM Modi amid suspense over Maharashtra portfolio allocation | Congress wants to deviate the issue of Sonia Gandhi-George Soros link: JP Nadda | Bengaluru techie suicide: Atul Subhash's family demanded Rs. 10 lakh as dowry leading to my father's death, claims estranged wife | Syria rebels torch tomb of ousted president Bashar al-Assad's father | Donald Trump vows to eliminate birthright citizenship after taking charge | No alliance with Congress in Delhi polls: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal | Bengaluru techie's suicide: Atul Subhash's wife and her family booked | Bengaluru techie's suicide: Atul Subhash's wife and her family booked | INDIA bloc to knock on Supreme Court's doors over alleged EVM manipulation during Maharashtra polls | 'Babri Masjid should be rebuilt in Bengal's Murshidabad': TMC MLA Humayun Kabir sparks row

Team India shifts focus to match against Kyrgyz Republic

| | Jun 08, 2017, at 02:21 am
New Delhi, june 7 (IBNS): After displaying exemplary professionalism on the field which decimated Nepal, the Indian National Team boys feel that it needs to be carried over into every match if the momentum is to be sustained.

Basking in glory is something which the present crop of players is not willing to wear it on their sleeve. Sandesh Jhinhgan, for example, who is now making it a habit of scoring in almost every match grins when reminded about it.

“I am happy to help the Team,” he utters, moments after India won 2-0 against Nepal, sweat trickling down his forehead. “The clean sheet matters the most. We needed this victory because this gives us a good momentum for the match against Kyrgyz Republic. We need to build on it,” he adds, even as the loud cheers from the stands seem to overlay his voice.

Jeje Lalpekhlua whose sublime finish wrapped up proceedings for India after Jhingan’s goal insisted that the Team needs to “stay calm.”

“It was humid and a very difficult game. We fought hard and stayed together. We did not get any goal in the first half but stayed calm and patient. We kept working in the second half and it paid dividends,” he states.

7 consecutive victories in International Football is no achievement. But Robin Singh isn’t much willing to read much into it. “There is only way, and that is to move forward from here. The match against Nepal was a winning step and it is time to focus on the match against Kyrgyz Republic,” he maintains.

The boys had a morning recovery session at the pool and will resume practice again from Thursday(June 8).

“The victory against Nepal makes us more confident. We need to carry this confidence into our next match and need to fill in the areas which the Coach will instruct us to,” Pritam Kotal, who floated innumerable crosses from the flanks against Nepal, joins in.

Midfield General Eugeneson Lyngdoh feels that the Team played a “good game” against Nepal. But the very next moment, he adds: “This was a much needed victory. We need to capitalise on the win. It will stir up the confidence of the players for sure.”

Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who has now an all-win record in the three matches in which he has Captained India credits the coaching staff, the Coach and all his teammates for all the success. “Football is not just about one man. It’s a Team playing together, and it’s not just the Team who is taking the field. I am proud to be a part of the Team,” he echoes, and repeats the next moment: “Really proud.”

The sentiment in the National Team has surely changed in the last couple of years. It’s always ‘We’ ahead of ‘I.’

Image: AIFF Media

 

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.