India's U20 Women's Team Prepares for Final Friendly Against Uzbekistan
India Set for Second Friendly Match Against Uzbekistan
New Delhi [India], July 16: Following a 1-1 draw in their initial U20 women's friendly match against Uzbekistan, India is preparing to compete in the second and final game on Wednesday at the Do'stlik Stadium, scheduled for 20:30 IST, as announced by the AIFF.
Similar to the first encounter, this match will be held behind closed doors, a decision made mutually by both teams as they gear up for the upcoming AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers next month.
Sulanjana Raul's equalizer in the 79th minute salvaged a draw for the Young Tigresses after Uzbekistan had taken a 1-0 lead before halftime. India's head coach, Joakim Alexandersson, expressed that his team deserved to win, although a sluggish start hindered their opportunities.
“It was a solid performance from our side. We struggled with our high press in the initial 15-20 minutes and lacked aggression. However, we improved over time, creating chances through effective build-ups and movements. We dominated the second half, despite conceding a few opportunities due to individual errors. We created significantly more chances than they did and certainly deserved a win. But we must convert those chances into goals,” stated the Swedish coach, as reported by the AIFF.
The match was initially scheduled for Sunday but was delayed by over 24 hours due to operational issues at the Do'stlik Stadium. Despite this unexpected change, the Young Tigresses maintained their focus and did not let it impact their performance.
“There was a brief moment of disappointment when we arrived on Sunday and learned about the postponement. However, we are a close-knit group that has been together for several months, and the girls handled it well. We are staying in a great hotel with excellent food and facilities. I commend the girls' attitude,” Alexandersson remarked.
The rescheduling resulted in less time for rest and recovery before the second match, but Alexandersson is not overly concerned. He aims for improved fluidity in attack, better duels, and consistent performance throughout the game to conclude the tour with a victory.
“We need to be more prepared from the start. I want our defense to be more aggressive and all players to engage more in attacking plays. We must be tougher in both offensive and defensive duels. Lastly, we need to capitalize on our chances better,” the coach emphasized.
Reflecting on the competitiveness of the first match, Alexandersson believes these two friendlies serve as excellent preparation for the AFC U20 Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers, where India will face teams like Myanmar, Indonesia, and Turkmenistan in Yangon.
“Uzbekistan appears stronger than in their previous games I have observed. They are a well-organized, physically robust team with several individually skilled players. This is a valuable test for us,” he concluded.