Stimac urges Blue Tigers to be ‘clever and patient’ against Sri Lanka
A day in between, and its match day minus one again! The medical staff stay extremely busy working on the tight muscles and niggles; the technical staff stay busy in looking back at the last match against Bangladesh, and dissecting and planning tomorrow’s (October 7) one against Sri Lanka. The players have been quiet since the Blue Tigers were held to a 1-1 draw by a 10-man Bangladesh. Fortunes in international matches fluctuate fast, and the boys have learnt it the hard way. “We need to look forward. There are three matches left in the group stage. We were punished in the last match, and we need to improve,” Head Coach Igor Stimac stated. A lot of football is still left to be played in the tournament. But on the surface, the five-team format suggests that every match is a must-win for India to ensure a smooth passage to the final. Of course, there will be mathematical calculations as every team moves ahead. Sri Lanka, India’s opponents, are, however, yet to win a match – having lost