Having lost to Nepal in the SAFF Championship last month, the Indian football team is set to face a tough task as they lock horns with the Himalayan nation in an international friendly on Monday.
|Last Updated: Nov 18, 2013, 06:39 PM IST|Source: PTI
Siliguri: Having lost to Nepal in the SAFF Championship last month, the Indian football team is set to face a tough task as they lock horns with the Himalayan nation in an international friendly here on Tuesday.
After playing out a 1-1 draw with Philippines on Friday, India are still looking for their first international friendly win this year.
Last time the two teams met, Nepal edged past India 2-1 in Kathmandu.
Expecting a fierce challenge from the neighbours, national coach Wim Koevermans said his boys will go all out for a victory at the Kanchenjunga Stadium.
"It`s not a match of revenge as is being stated. Every team takes the field to win. Sporting culture says that once you lose to a team you stay keen to win it the next time you play. We want to win. But it`s not that easy. We know Nepal are a strong side," Koevermans said.
"In the recent past we have not been able to convert our chances. We got plenty of them for sure. Chances only come when you play well."
"We are playing some good football and hope to carry on the trend," he added.
India skipper Sunil Chhetri feels their loss in the last meeting would have no impact in tomorrow`s match.
"Tomorrow is a new game with both teams starting from the same score. History is there for stats," said Chhetri who is on the cusp of becoming the highest goal-scorer for India.
"To win matches you need to score. It just doesn`t matter as long as we convert our chances. Whether it`s me or anyone in the squad, it`s immaterial as to who scores," Chhetri, who is presently tied with Bhaichung Bhutia on 42 goals, said.
Meanwhile, Koevermans and Chhetri congratulated Subrata Paul for signing a contract with Danish Superliga team FC Vestsjaelland.
"I`m very happy for him. I wish him all the luck," Koevermans stated.
"He is a strong character. It`s such a wonderful news for Indian football," Chhetri said.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.