Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India]October 10 (ANI): Indian Under-17 women’s team head coach Thomas Dennerby said that their team is difficult to score against and has a good defence.
India will begin their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 campaign against the USA at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00 IST on Tuesday, October 11, 2022).
Speaking to the media at the official pre-match press conference, Thomas Dennerby spoke about tomorrow’s opponents and his expectations for the match, stating that the team’s focus will remain on executing the game plan.
“We have a team that we know can defend very well. Tomorrow is one thing that everyone should be able to see how difficult it will be to score against us. If we take the chances we create we can come out with points . The US will come in as favorites but everything is on paper. Our focus is on our game plan. If we have our best day and score an early goal then that will be good for us,” he said.
The Young Tigresses will have the support of the home crowd to push them forward and Dennerby stressed how things will be decided by what happens on the pitch.
He said: “The home advantage is always there. Some girls can feel a bit of pressure if they see a big crowd in the arena. However, it is on the pitch that everything will be decided and the result of the match will be decided.” Captain Astam Oraon spoke about the team’s excitement levels ahead of the opening game, saying the team is “strong physically and mentally.” Tomorrow is the day when we have to leave everything on the field. Our full focus is on the upcoming matches and nothing else matters to us,” the defender said.
She continued, “We need to sleep and rest well today. All players feel strong physically and mentally. We have worked hard on our endurance levels through gym and running sessions. We will give our opponents a good fight tomorrow.” , “We showed last week against Sweden that we can match one of the best teams in the world. Everyone is looking forward to the game tomorrow and we are all ready.” “Of course, India will qualify for the quarter-finals. Everyone starts from zero points. It will be a great success if we reach that stage!” he added.
Astam, who hails from Gumla district in Jharkhand, lauded the support from the governments of Odisha and her home state.
She said: “The Government of Jharkhand has helped a lot during our training time in Jamshedpur. The same goes for the Government of Odisha — everything is well organised, the facilities are excellent and the overall environment is extremely positive. We are really happy about everything.” Dennerby also reserved special praise for India’s U-17 men’s national team, who secured their third consecutive qualification for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup early on Monday.
“It was super fun to watch them play! A big congratulations to the team and staff. They have done a really good job and we are all excited to see them develop as we are all working towards the same goal of taking Indian football forward together,” concluded Dennerby. (ANI)
Source: sn.dk