It’s a new journey for Indian football; that too under a new coach. Armando Colaco feels, “the start has been good and we need to carry on from there.” The positive sentiment within the team after the Maldives game is infectious. You are bound to get affected by it.

“We created chances,” Armando insists. “The players have adopted to my style – possessional football. We need to convert out chances. It was a match which we should have won handsomely.”

It’s hard to argue. Indeed India should have converted more from the five ‘open chances’ that they created. But Armando feels, “that’s football.”

India next play Qatar on July 17 in another International Friendly before proceeding to play UAE in Abu Dhabi in the first-leg of the World Cup Qualifier on July 23. The return-leg is slated for the Ambedkar Stadium on July 28.

Striker Sunil Chhetri, who besides captaining the side also scored for India added: “It’s nice to be back on the scoring list. We have our target fixed – the World Cup Qualifiers. But ahead of that, the Friendlies are of great help. It helps us to be a cohesive unit.”

At the moment, the Indian contingent is practicing at the Al Arabi Stadium in Doha. Doha isn’t a new destination for Team India at all as most of the boys were either a part of Asian Cup squad (in January) or India’s Pre-Olympic Qualifier against Qatar last month.

Armando who insisted on selecting captains on a rotational basis hasn’t finalised the captain for the Qatar match as yet. “I will let you know as and when I decide it,” he says.

(AIFF Press Release)