India concentrate on passing as threat from Colombia looms
NEW DELHI : The opening game of the FIFA U-17 World Cup was a harsh reminder for the India. Amarjit Singh & Co exceeded expectations with their performances on the field but the gap in quality was too much for them as USA registered a 3-0 victory in front of a packed Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The disappointment was clear on their faces as the players exited the stadium after the match and although the footballers completely ignored the media waiting for them in the mixed zone, their sombre mood and stooped shoulders spoke a thousand words.
However, on Sunday, it was business as usual for the youngsters as they trained hard ahead of their second Group A encounter against Colombia. One of the things that let India down against USA was their passing and that was what coach Luis Norton De Matos concentrated on in the final practice session. The players were divided into groups of two and they were made to play short passes around a training dummy in order to improve their co-ordination on the field.
“We need to rectify our mistakes and move on. Winning and losing are part and parcel of the game. We are all set for the next game against Colombia and we’re raring to give it a shot,” midfielder Suresh Singh Wangjam told the media at the sidelines of their practice session.
The match against USA was momentous occasion for all the players and despite the loss, there
We need to rectify our mistakes and move on. Winning and losing are part and parcel of game. We are raring to give it a shot (against Colombia). SURESH SINGH, India midfielder
were a lot of positives to be taken from the game. Goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem was quite impressive against a starstudded strike force and along with centre-back Anwar Ali, he was able to stop the trio of Josh Sargent, Ayo Akinola and Tim Weah from scoring more goals.
The star of the match for India was the young midfielder from Sikkim -- Komal Thatal. The 16-year old was an absolute livewire on the left flank and he was instrumental in his team’s offensive play. He dribbled past the defenders with absolute ease and on Monday, Thatal will have to play a bigger role in controlling possession for his team -- something that India struggled to do against USA.
Colombia have no problems when it comes to short passing and maintaining possession of the ball. The Latin Americans were beaten by Ghana’s pace , but they still finish the game with 56% possession. The Colombians favoured the 4-2-3-1 formation against Ghana and considering India’s defensive tactics, they will be looking to switch to a more aggressive 4-3-3 with Leandro Campaz dictating play from the left flank.
The physical advantage Colombia enjoy will also be a factor. The Colombian defenders were outplayed by Ghana on sheer pace and that is something the Indian forwards will not be able to replicate. As a result, the defenders will be able to stop them from crossing freely and unless fatigue plays a part, they will dominate the aerial duels.