NEWS
OTHER SPORTS
DIARY
PEOPLE
MATCH REPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

Indian soccer team confident despite defeat

Despite losing to Thailand in Bangkok, Dipendu Biswas, skipper of India's pre-Olympic soccer team, feels his team is capable of winning the return 'home' match when the teams meet at the Salt Lake Stadium on July 24.

Dipendu said: ''This time things will be different. We will have the advantage of home ground and crowd. We have to win at least by two goals, if not more, so that we get another chance in the tie-breaker.''

According to FIFA rules, if the points of two teams are equal and the goal margin is also same, then the winner is decided through a penalty shoot-out.

P K Banerjee, technical director of the Indian team, also feels his boys are capable of avenging the 0-2 defeat.

''I always keep my hope till the last moment. If we can score an early goal, there is every chance that our boys will be able to avenge the defeat at Bangkok.We have to play in a very planned way. Besides scoring an early goal, we will have to be careful that we don't concede a goal,'' he said.

Banerjee attributed India's dismal performance, among other things, to some vital mistakes committed by the team and lack of experience among some of the junior players.

"While the Indian forwards, especially Rennedy Singh, Bijen Singh and Alvito D'Cunha, missed easy chances, our defence faltered at vital moments, resulting in the two goals," Banerjee added.

Coach Sankar Maitra felt it would have been a different story if the Indian players had convert the chances they got into goals.

''We have to play all out this time and score even from a half chance,'' he said.

Both Banerjee and Maitra admitted that the team did not have enough practice, especially against any foreign team. On the other hand, Thailand had been practising since the last six months and played a number of tournaments abroad to get international exposure.

However, Banerjee said, ''We are not not leaving it like that. I'm sure our boys will give their best and rise to the occasion this time.''

UNI