Kathmandu, Oct 26
The Indian senior women's team will have a tough task in hand when they take on Nepal in the semifinals of the SAFF Women's Championship at the Dasharath Stadium here on Sunday. Nepal are considered a consistent side in SAFF, who reached the final in the last edition of the championship at India's expense. To add to five-time runners-up Nepal's advantage, they are the hosts and would naturally be backed by an ardent crowd.
Indian captain Ashalata Devi, a veteran of many a battle, is aware of the situation. "The crowd in Nepal is huge, and they are passionate about football," said Ashalata. "Some of our younger players haven't experienced a crowd like this before, and it can feel different."
Ashalata, however, was quick to shrug off any suggestion that the team could feel intimidated by the support the host side are expected to receive from the stands.
"Well, we must remember that the crowd is for us too. They can support us as well. We should enjoy the match and not feel discouraged by the opponents' fans. We need to think of them as our fans too," said Ashalata, who will play her 102nd international on Sunday. "We need to play like a family, and that will help us win the game tomorrow. This is the time to prove ourselves. In football, it's about the team's performance rather than individual efforts," said the seasoned centre-back, widely considered a role model by many in Indian women's football.
India, the five-time champions, crashed out of the SAFF Women's Championship 2022 after a 0-1 loss against Nepal in the semifinals at the same venue. It was the first time that India failed to take the trophy back home since the inception of the tournament in 2010. Ashalata is not the one who takes defeat in her stride easily. "We lost to Nepal in the 2022 semifinal, and we haven't forgotten that. We need to come back strong this time.
"Nepal have some really good players. I have played two seasons in the Indian Women's League (IWL) with their main striker, Sabitra Bhandari. Some players are technically well-skilled. We know how they played against us.
"Our strength is in the attacking third, where Manisha, Grace (Dangmei), and Soumya (Guguloth) can generate the required speed that can overcome many a challenge. I want to tell my teammates that whatever happened before, we need to move on and focus only on tomorrow's match. In every movement, we have to perform better. As a senior player, I believe that whoever comes on as a substitute should give her best. Whatever time we get on the field, we need to help the team and aim to bring the trophy back," Ashalata said.
In the group stage, India defeated Pakistan 5-2 before losing to Bangladesh 1-3. Nepal drew 0-0 against Bhutan, won 11-0 against Maldives, and beat Sri Lanka 6-0.
Head coach Santosh Kashyap said, "I'm feeling positive and satisfied after the training sessions. The girls have shown their intelligence by quickly grasping the strategy and the way I want to approach the match.
"We need to overcome the challenge of playing in a packed stadium against Nepal. It's a tough situation, but we have to face it and come out on top. I'm very confident, and I want to transfer the same confidence to the players. We know we lost against Nepal in the last semi-final. The past is behind us, and we are not dwelling on it. We are focussed on the present and pleased with the progress we have made since the beginning of the camp," Kashyap said.
The India head coach is a firm believer in playing attacking football and would like to pursue the same philosophy. "I want us to continue with the same attacking mindset. It will be an enjoyable game; everyone loves that style, and I do too. I want my players to enjoy it as well. Our team is in excellent shape, super fit, and has great chemistry.
"Against Bangladesh, we created many opportunities, but Anju's injury forced me to hold back, and we had to play with 10 players for a period. That's when we conceded some avoidable goals, and they controlled the midfield. We have addressed that, but I remain confident we will come back strong from the last defeat."
Kashyap has observed Sabitra Bhandari, Nepal's main striker who recently completed her 50 international goals, and is aware of the threat she holds.
"Sabitra is the only player from Nepal playing in the European League. Sabitra will have a strong presence in the attack. She has been scoring well and has a very positive influence. They played impressive football against Sri Lanka," said Kashyap.