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Alex Ambrose calls up 4 new players for AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers camp

India U-18 Women's national team at the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship. (Photo courtesy: AIFF Media)
Indian Women's national team at the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship. Photo courtesy: AIFF Media

India U-19 Women’s Head Coach Alex Ambrose announced a 25-member list of probables for the preparatory camp in Cuttack, Odisha, ahead of their crucial AFC U-19 Women’s Championship Qualifiers Round 1, later this month.

A total of 25 countries (separated into six groups) are set to participate in the qualifiers, with the top team from each group making it to Round 2. India who have been placed in Group B, alongside Nepal, Pakistan and hosts Thailand play their first match on October 24 against Pakistan.

The camp which will be held between from 9-21 includes most of the players who participated in the inaugural edition of the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship, in Bhutan earlier this month.

Ambrose, a former India international has named four new players for the preparatory camp: Mamta Kumari (Bihar), H Daya Devi (Manipur), Renu (Haryana) and Binita Karkera (Jharkhand).

In the SAFF U-18 Women’s Championship, the Indian girls thrashed hosts Bhutan 4-0 in their opening match, before putting doubling that score-line against Maldives to top the group.

But the girls suffered a heart-breaking loss in a penalty shootout against Nepal (after the match ended at 1-1 after extra time) in the semi-final. They, however, bounced back to win 1-0 win over Bhutan in the third-place play-off.

The list of probables stay as follows:

Goalkeepers
S Monika Devi, Archana Arumugam, Soumya Narayanasamy

Defenders
Jabamani Tudu, Waikhom Kanchan Chanu, Yumlembam Papki Devi, Achom Degio, Mamta Kumari

Midfielders
Grace Lalrampari, Soni Behera, Phijam Sanathokpi Devi, Asem Roja Devi, Manisha, Asha Kumari, Sangita Kumari

Forwards
Vanlahriattiri, Devneta Roy, Karishma Rai, Soumya Guguloth, Samiksha, Manisha Naik, Mariyammal Balamurugan, H Daya Devi, Renu, Binita Karketa

(AIFF Media)