Things Around Me

  Head Coach Igor Stimac lauded Indian Arrows project and hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup in India in 2017 for developing a "new generation of players" who went on to register India's best-ever finish in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers in UAE, on Saturday, October 30. "This just proves that the project which started years ago in India with Indian Arrows and the FIFA U-17 World Cup were the right steps in developing a new generation of players who will have more confidence on the pitch and not hesitate to face anyone," Stimac stated after India finished second in Group E of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers on Saturday (October 30, 2021). India finished their campaign having bagged 4 points with one win against Oman (2-1) and a draw against the Kyrgyz Republic (0-0), only two points behind group leaders UAE. Both India and Kyrgyz Republic finished on four points apiece after finishing with a goalless draw in their last match of Group E. With both the teams on t...

  Goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh's heroics under the woodwork did wonders for India as the boys had their best-ever finish in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers to date. As their final qualifying match against the Kyrgyz Republic ended in a stalemate at the Fujairah Stadium on Saturday (October 31, 2021). Earlier, UAE beat Oman 2-0 to end as the toppers of Group E in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers. As the match between India and Kyrgyz Republic ended in a stalemate, both sides finished the group on four points apiece, with the same goal difference (zero), and equal number of goals scored in all the matches (2). To decide who takes the second and third spots, respectively, in Group E, a penalty shootout was held, which India won 4-2. In the penalty shootout, Dheeraj started with a couple of spectacular saves while Rahul KP, Rohit Danu, Suresh Singh, and Rahim Ali scored from the spot. India coach Igor Stimac made only one change to the starting XI from the previous game, handing Amarjit...

  Al Fujairah: United Arab Emirates defeated Oman 2-0 to stay within reach of qualifying for the AFC U23 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2022 on Saturday.  The win places UAE top of Group E with six points with their fate to be decided by the India-Kyrgyz Republic match later on Saturday. Fresh from their 1-0 win over India on Matchday Two, UAE came into the match against Oman with the aim of securing all three points and got off to a superb start as they broke the deadlock in the first 10 seconds.  The action began with Mohammed Abbas Alblooshi’s long-range pass into the final third, with Omani defender Issa Khalfan Al Naabi mishandling his first touch to allow Marwan Fahad Alwatani to pounce on the loose ball and slot home one of the fastest goals of the Qualifiers. Oman, who had bounced back into contention after beating Kyrgyz Republic three days earlier, were unfazed by the early deficit and went came close in the 33rd minute when Waleed Salim Al Musalmi connected to Sultan Sai...

  “Forget this match as fast as possible,” Head Coach Igor Stimac mentioned in the huddle, and paused again post India’s 0-1 loss to UAE in the qualifiers for the AFC U23 Asian Cup. He then looked at everyone, and reiterated waving his hand. “Just forget it. In 3 days, you have another 90 minutes against Kyrgyz Republic. That will be decisive. Get ready for that.” The adrenalin was high, the sweat hadn’t dried, the panting hadn’t stopped; there was disappointment. But life is all about the next 90 minutes. One needs to own it, one needs to take control to move ahead forward together. “We need to balance the next 90 minutes. We need to be excited, but not over excited. Such matches need a player to give 101 percent, and at the same time such matches demand that a player needs to be patient,” Rahim Ali quipped. “Every player first needs to take up responsibility individually, and that will transpire to the entire squad.” Stimac has been the tireless trier going to every extent to sti...

 After 90 intense minutes of end to end action at the Fujairah Stadium, the Omani skipper’s last ditch effort proved to be the difference as the West Asians bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to India. Kyrgyz Republic came into the match having beaten United Arab Emirates in their opening game but opted for a cautious approach in the first few minutes, allowing Oman to set the pace. The sturdy Kyrgyz Republic defence, however, was hard to breach as Oman were forced to take their chances from distances.  Kyrgyz Republic, chasing their first-ever appearance in the AFC U23 Asian Cup, had to work hard to hold possession as they hardly challenged Oman goalkeeper Ibrahim Yousuf Al Rajhi.  AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers : Late penalty hands UAE win over India  The stalemate continued well into the second half, with Oman having the better chances as Kyrgyz Republic ‘keeper Erzhan Tokotaev was tested time and again. Nikolai Iuzahnin’s Kyrgyz Republic side, however, should have ...

  FUJAIRAH (UAE): Fujairah City is a quiet place, some 120 km from Dubai. From a distance, rocky mountains and barren landscapes strike you more than the few high rises. The locals inform that some 10 years back, there wasn’t anything here and that this is supposedly UAE’s next industrial town. “Another10 years, and you won’t recognise this place,” the local manager smiled. The morning prior to India U23’s next match against hosts UAE in the qualifiers for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, the Blue Colts appear excited as ever, but are cautious – not to get complacent. The back four and goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh were solid against Oman. But Dheeraj is quick to point out the pertinent lesson learned during the hard-earned victory. “Our back four were in solid form. They were strong, winning tackles, winning aerial balls. They made my job easier. But we conceded in the last five minutes, and we need to bring in the extra concentration as the game progresses. It's a big lesson we learned from th...

  DUBAI: No one stays willing to take credit for India’s 2-1 victory against Oman in their first match of the qualifiers for the AFC U23 Asian Cup. The Head Coach credits the players, the players in turn thank the coach, and highlights the team spirit for the “brilliant performance”. “The entire credit goes to the boys especially given the fact that they didn’t have much time to prepare for this. The togetherness they displayed on the pitch, and their tactical discipline makes me extremely happy. But this is just one game, and there are two more to go,” Head Coach Igor Stimac stated. The 2-1 victory was India’s first-ever victory against Oman at the U-23 level. But the Coach wasn’t much willing to read into it. “I have told my boys to forget this result. It’s always important how you leave a tournament, and not how you start it. We concentrate on the next game, and we go one by one,” Stimac added. The confidence of the boys strikes you, and you turn to them. “I’d say the Indian Arr...