The India U20 men’s team, on Monday, September 23, 2024, landed in Vientiane, a city with captivating landscapes and abundant cultural heritage.
But as the Ranjan Chaudhuri-coached squad checked into the team hotel that stands on the northern banks of the majestic Mekong River, the uppermost priority after the long and tiring journey was to get enough rest and stay prepared for the 2025 AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign starting Thursday, September 25.
The Blue Colts will hit the pitch in 48 hours’ time, their first test is against Mongolia in the four-team group.
India, placed in Group G, will play Mongolia (September 25), IR Iran (September 27), and hosts Laos (September 29), at the Lao National Stadium KM16, in Vientiane.
After their semi-final defeat in the SAFF U20 Championship on penalties against Bangladesh last month, the India U20s are doubly motivated to prove their mettle.
Head coach Ranjan Chaudhuri said, “It’s never about the defeat. Such things keep happening in football. But we badly want to redeem ourselves here. Nothing much has changed. Our target was to qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup, and that still remains. Just the motivation is high among the boys.”
“Iran are of course, one of the best teams in Asia, and that will be a difficult prospect for us to play them. But Mongolia and Laos are also good teams, and we must be at our best in order to make the final cut,” said Chaudhuri. No Indian team has ever qualified for the AFC U20 Asian Cup.
While India’s opposition look like a tough bunch, the Blue Colts have spent 18 hard days training in Goa for the tournament.
“The SAFF exit was an unpleasant experience for us, but I can see just how that has motivated the boys. We’ve had a 18-day camp in Goa, where we’ve played a number of closed-doors practice matches,” said Chaudhuri.
“The standards are higher at this level, and our boys have also improved a lot in the last few weeks,” he said. “Perhaps a couple of games against international teams at the U20 level would have prepared us better, but that is what it is.
“We just want to do one thing, and that is to qualify for the U20 Asian Cup and create history,” he said. “Not only will it be good for our players, but for the upcoming generations as well.”
The India head coach has shown faith in the squad of players, making only three changes to the contingent that went to the SAFF U20 Championship. Despite the changes which came about due to injuries, the Blue Colts camp remains optimistic about their chances in Laos.
Source: AIFF
