Abu Dhabi: After a comprehensive 4-1 victory against Thailand in the first league match, Indian defender Pritam Kotal feels that India are well-prepared to take on hosts UAE in their next match on Thursday, at the Sheikh Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi. Kotal, who played a stellar role as right wing back for India keeping Thailand’s Chanathip Songskrasin quiet in the previous game, said that the team has made specific plans for the hosts.
We have our plans for the UAE game. You will be able to see them while we implement it on the pitch,” said the defender. “They are a very good side. We have a lot of respect for them. But we are ready to give it a real fight.” When asked whether Blue Tigers view UAE as their toughest opponents in the group stage, Kotal expressed “every match is a difficult one.”
You can’t really say which match is tough. Before the Thailand game, would anybody have said that it was going to be easy? Every match is tough. We expect UAE to be a tough game too. They are the hosts. We have to fight in every game and aim to take three points,” he stated.
The Indian defence played a key role in keeping the Thai attackers at bay in their last game, and Kotal believes that the back-four has a good chemistry between themselves. Our back four has been playing together for some time now. That has built up our understanding, and the chemistry,” he continued.
We always talk to each other, tell each other where to position ourselves, whom to mark. This has obviously improved since we have been playing together for some time.” Four days after creating a flutter with a stunning 4-1 drubbing of Thailand, India are now looking an upbeat lot in the continental showpiece.
While the result against Thailand, who have three J-League players in their ranks, was no mean feat, it will be a bigger achievement if the Indians are able to put it across the hosts who are gunning for the title. Currently ranked 79th to India’s 97th, the United Arab Emirates were placed as high as 24 in the FIFA chart in January 2015.
Coach Stephen Constantine will be pleased with how the second half against Thailand turned out. India not only managed to shut down a lethal Thai attack after being tied 1-1 at the break, but also threatened at the other end through quick transitions in attack.That stupendous show earned India three valuable points, a place on top of the group and a goal average of plus three.
“We have a very young side here and they are excited. Of course, hosts UAE will be a different game. They are a very good side but they are just another team standing in our way,” said Constantine. As far as the Indian team is concerned, Sunil Chhetri hogs the limelight wherever he goes, and the Blue Tigers will again look up to him upfront.
It will not exactly be appropriate to say that Chhetri will be high on confidence after his double strikes against Thailand, which saw him go past Argentine superstar Lionel Messi in the goal-scoring chart among active international players, because that is an ingredient the Indian talisman never lacked. He is never overconfident, though.
In a team sport like football, a squad heavily dependent on Chhetri would not have experienced a 13-match unbeaten run on way to qualifying for the tournament. Over reliance on the 34-year-old striker would not have seen them maul Thailand the way the did.
And that is a good sign for Constantine’s team, which will enhance its prospects of qualifying for the second round of the tournament for the first time in over 50 years if it is able to win or at least draw against the UAE. It is even better for the team that for all his achievements over the years, Chhetri remains grounded.
Minutes after coming off the bench against Thailand, Jeje Lalpekhlua found the back of the net, and so did young Anirudh Thapa. However, the surprise package was rookie forward Ashique Kuruniyan, Udanta Singh being the livewire down wide right. Udanta, in fact, set up a couple of goals including the inch-perfect cross from right flank, which Chhetri slammed home.