Soccer: Indian Women gear up for ‘Must Win’ encounter

The kick-off is slated for IST 4 p.m.

Although the Indian contingent were dominant in both possession and shots on goal in their opening clash against Maldives, the Women paid heavily when they were not able to convert on their chances.

Speaking to www.the-aiff.com, Head Coach of the Indian Women’s Senior National Team Sajid Dar, dubbed the fixture against Sri Lanka as a “must win one.”

“It is a must win match for us, as three points will relieve a lot of pressure. The squad showcased attacking Football in our first match against Maldives and we have worked on converting our chances in the training sessions for a better result against Sri Lanka.”

India had defeated Sri Lanka 4-0 last time around in the Olympic Qualifiers Preliminaries Round 1 in Mandalay, Myanmar, courtesy strikes from Ashalata Devi, Kamala Devi, Radharani and an own goal by Malisha Nilini.

However, Sajid believes that Sri Lanka are the “dark horses” of this Championship as they (Sri Lanka) have evolved their style of play over the last couple of years.

“We have to be cautious of our opponents as they possess the necessary means which can harm us. At the same time, we will play for a win and give our best on the field,” he stated.

Post the draw, Bembem Devi said, “Had we took our chances, we would’ve scored many goals, let alone win the match.”

“As a Player you obviously feel sad when results don’t go your way. But that’s the beauty of Football -- it never fails to surprise.”

Reflecting on Sri Lanka, Bembem Devi opined that the “fixture will not be easy at all and we have to stay on our toes.”

“We also have a point to prove that we are still the best in the South-Asian region and nothing except a win will do tomorrow.”