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AFC U-22 Championships !


jusarrived

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we have been competetive against good sides after a long time ! Beat Leabanon 5-2 and lost only 2-1 to Iraq arguably the best side in Asia, if you go by reports we are could have won the match Schedule , results & points table . http://www.the-afc.com/en/u22ac-schedule-results?type=Stage&id=132 Iraq's coach Hakeem Shakir crossed over the centre-line and walked towards Papas. "I've seen many an Indian team in the past across all age-groups. But I admit this is the best Indian team I've ever played against. I mean it," he shook hands for one more time and walked off. Papas stood still. That his confidence at just 32 is infectious, indications stay clear. In just 16 days of practice prior to coming to Muscat, he's instilled a sense of self belief in the team-- a self belief which has been foreign for India [ Images ]. "We should have got a result in the match," he reiterates. You dig deep into his heart. In a sport whose roots in the history go deep, India are still chasing football in the modern age. And here is the man, entrusted to move the ball forward from knee-deep. With the towers at the picturesque Royal Oman Police Stadium surrounded by the brown mountains, which from a distance seem like chocolate energy bars being switched off one by one, you dig further back. A nation ranked 74th on the FIFA [ Images ] ladder, many a time in the last 20 minutes, took the ball to the corner flag to kill time. They were cornered. The final whistle brought them relief. Did ever India have such an authority over Iraq? The mind couldn't dig anymore. "Australia [ Images ] couldn't score against Iraq. We have," Papas stayed spot on. "But this is just the beginning. One bad day, you can have a bad result. It can happen to any team. So we all need to patient -- the fans need to be patient, we need to be patient too," he comments. UAE coach Baler Sadih had come over more to watch Iraq; instead he jotted India more. "Your team can change the formation so fast. From 4-3-2-1 it becomes 4-3-1-2 and within ten minutes, you are 4-3-3. This is so flexible. Such teams are very dangerous," he appreciated. Again, you need to go back to Papas. His team meetings are dissective enough to make you understand what needs to be dome to get to the next level. Good Coaches always exhale positivity. Papas, possesses the quality -- his intensity never fades. The boys were rewarded for their effort. At the dining table, Papas declares: "Today you can have your dessert. I allow you." The grin just broadened. Desserts have been a strict no-no since Papas took over. The hard taskmaster that he is, sometimes you ought to wonder about the toughness about the man. But this man has a heart too, that too, a soft one. Half an hour past midnight with most other rooms having the DND flashed on their doors, Papas walks the corridor and walks into a room to oversee. Stopper Prathamesh Maulinkar was having his ice-bath then; Milan Singh waited in queue. He taps both gently on their shoulders, enquires about the others, smiles, and walks off towards his room. "It's 12.40am. But he hasn't gone to his bed as yet. And here he is enquiring whether we are fine," Milan looks into your eye. "I'm proud of my coach. I'm proud to be playing under him," he became sentimental. The next morning, the players who haven't played so far in the Championship, hit the gym early. At the breakfast table, Papas goes to each and talks. The boys listen. You watch from a distance -- a 'Proud' coach with his 'Proud' boys. The next moment you overhear: "Today is a rest day. The bus will take you out. But you need to be in the hotel by 5pm." So there is hope ?

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By Nilanjan Datta, AIFF Media Team United Arab Emirates 1 (Jamal Ibrahim – 9th) drew with India 1 (Romeo – 88th) MUSCAT: Is this the dawn of a new era in Indian football? It seems so. The character on display at Royal Oman Police Stadium in Muscat against United Arab Emirates may force you to stumble for words. It rarely happens, but happens. Down by an early Jamal Ibrahim goal, as early as the 9th minute, India came back strongly to hold UAE 1-1 in the U-22 AFC Championship. After a barrage of attacks on the rival citadel, Romeo Fernandes restored parity in the 88th minute. You fail to keep a track of the chances India had in the second half. The tragedy stays the score sheet never reflects the manner of the match. It just reflects the score. And UAE just managed to hold on by the skin of their teeth. The early goal conceded may have been an initial setback but it didn’t un-nerve India. Rather, they stayed content in building up from back; so much so that the first 20 minutes earned them three corners. The number increased to seven by the 40th minute. In the midfield, it was all about the workload. Be it a robust Manandeep Singh or be it an intelligent Lalrindika Ralte or an irrepressible Milan Singh or a tireless Pranay Halder, the Indians pressed hard all throughout. The first half yielded seven corners and a handball shout was ruled out in the 40th minute inside the UAE penalty box. Changing over, it UAE defended all throughout – not a strategy but were forced back. They tried to change the combination a number of times, but it failed. Romeo’s fresh legs on the right stretched them and in the 51st minute, Tirthankar Sarkar missed heading into an empty second post, the ball agonisingly missing. Jeje replaced Tirthankar in the 69th minute and within two minutes, his free header off a Milan Singh corner just sailed over. UAE were surviving dangerously. Eventually Romeo headed home in the 88th minute following a Vishal Kumar throw-in down the right. A minute later, Romeo had the best chance of the day when he sneaked in between the wall on the left, ran all the way into the 6-yard box but rival goalkeeper’s legs came in between. National Coach Wim Koevermans and Technical Director Rob Baan congratulated the team on their splendid fightback. “I told you, you will find some good boys in this batch,” Papas told Wim. “The boys fought well. It was heartening to fight with such a spirit against such a quality side,” AIFF general Secretary Kushal Das, who had dropped in to watch the match, commented. The match ended 1-1 and India could have easily gone back home with three points. India next play Turkmenistan on June 30. INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Captain); Abhishek Das, Souvik Ghosh, Prathamesh Maulinkar, Narayan Das; Pranay Halder (Vishal Kumar – 76th), Milan Singh, Saiju Mon (Romeo – 48th), Tirthankar Sarkar (Jeje Lalpekhlua – 69th), Lalrindika Ralte, Manandeep Singh.

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India prove too strong for Tuekmenistan By Nilanjan Datta, AIFF Media Team India 4 (Lalrindika Ralte – penalty – 36tt; Alwyn George – 68th; Romeo Fernandes – 76th; Jeje Lalpekhlua – penalty – 86th) beat Turkmenistan 1 (Italmazov Farhad – 59th) MUSCAT: The goal stayed inevitable but the wait continued. Sometimes one became impatient as opening the rival goalmouth at times, looked like improbable -- simply because Turkmenistan were not willing to push forward. By the 15th minute itself, they had 10 men defending. The deadlock eventually broke in the 36th minute. Romeo Fernandes, India’s super-sub against United Arab Emirates made justice of Arthur Papas fielding him in the Starting XI. As he broke through inside the penalty box, rival defender Komekov Hemayat, beaten by Romeo’s sudden burst, found it best to bring him down. Midfielder Lalrindika Ralte slotted it past Turkmenistan goalkeeper Garayev to put India in the lead. India defeated Turkmenistan 4-1 in their fourth match of the AFC U-22 Qualifiers at the Sultan Qaboos Stadium in Muscat. India now move to 7 points from 4 matches and next play hosts Oman on July 3. Besides Dika, Alwyn George scored in the 69th minute and Romeo Fernandes, in the 76th minute. Jeje Lalpekhlua converted from the spot in the 86th minute to complete the rout. For Turkmenistan, Italmazov Farhad equalised in the 59th minute. Barely four minutes after Dika’s penalty conversion, Alwyn George, still then, a bit suffocated in between a horde of Turkmenistan players, got past two but his prompt left-footer hit the post. India started on a cautious note. They stayed content in building from the back and switched flanks on a regular basis. There were passes being stitched, positions being interchanged. India had the regulator with them – they controlled the match. Changing over, Turkmenistan started-off with more purpose. The first five minutes had the Indians defending. The organisation stayed good but despite it, captain Gurpreet Singh Sandhu had to stretch back to palm over a deflection. On the counter, a Romeo placement off a Vishak Kumar throw-in hit the upright in the 51st minute and then in the 55th minute, Manandeep Singh’s long-ranger sailed over. But Turkmenistan struck in the 59th minute – Italmazov Farhad’s prompt right-footer beating a diving Gurpreet. But the Indians regrouped fast – Alwyn George capitalising on a defensive lapse, chipped it over an onrushing Garayev. Alwyn could have settled the issue in the 71st minute when he ran in between the entire defence and entered the rival box only for Garayev’s legs to deprive him. It didn’t matter as Romeo got his name on the scoring sheet for the second consecutive match in the 76th minute. This time, Alwyn provided the perfect supplier for him and Romeo made no mistake. The second penalty came in the 85th minute when Jeje was pushed inside the box and Jeje gleefully converted from the spot. For the rest of the match, the Indians maintained their shape. Turkmenistan did try to press hard but it came a bit too late. INDIA: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Captain); Vishal Kumar, Deepak Devrani, Souvik Ghosh, Narayan Das; Ganeshan (Tirthankar Sarkar – 63rd), Milan Singh, Lalrindika Ralte, Romeo Fernandes (Abhishek Das – 82nd), Alwyn George, Manandeep Singh (Jeje Lalpekhlua – 69th)

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