{"id":10277,"date":"2012-09-24T09:19:36","date_gmt":"2012-09-24T09:19:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/?p=10277"},"modified":"2012-09-24T09:19:36","modified_gmt":"2012-09-24T09:19:36","slug":"u-16-asia-cup-india-ready-for-syria-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/?p=10277","title":{"rendered":"U-16 Asia Cup: India ready for Syria challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"u-16-asian-cup\"<\/strong>Tehran<\/strong>: Late Sunday evening, even at 7pm, the 5th floor corridor of the Parsian Azadi Hotel in Tehran, usually buzzing with excitement, looked haunted. If you stood still for a moment, you could even hear your own breath. Some of the rooms stayed half closed \u2013 reflection of light hitting the walls. You knock but hear no response. You kock again. Hearing no response you follow the trail of light.<\/p>\n

Motionless! This time, the heads weren\u2019t down; this time, they looked straight into your eyes. Not all were there, but those present had were seated all over — speechless, sharing the pain of the 2-3 defeat against Uzbekistan among themselves.<\/p>\n

It needed the ice to break the ice. With ice arriving, the buzz was back, for the ice-bath. Sometime later, everyone froze back to ice.<\/p>\n

Around ten minutes afterwards, someone knocks at your door. The group is standing outside. \u201cWhat\u2019s the score in the other match?\u201d they query. China and Syria were playing at that time and China were leading 1-0 at the interval.<\/p>\n

Next morning Colm Joseph Toal who had stayed back to dissect Syria against China utters at the breakfast table: \u201cSyria are a very tough side. They have some good individual players.\u201d Syria came back from a goal down to hold China 1-1 in their opening match.
\u201cWe are looking forward to another tough game. They are strong and aggressive who can play football at the same time. They need to be lauded for their fighting spirit \u2013 the manner in which they came back to equalise in injury time,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t prepare much because of the situation back home,\u201d Syrian coach Muhannad Alfakeer informs. I am confident about the ability of my boys but they haven\u2019t been tested so far.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have played International Friendlies against Oman and Jordan prior to coming here,\u201d he adds.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was disappointment against Uzbekistan. Having shown so much improvement since the last time we played them, it\u2019s frustrating not to get a result which we deserved,\u201d Toal emphasises.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s hardly any recovery time for the players. The injuries sustained need to be healed and the physical reaction of the boys, whether the boys would be able to recover in time would play an important role,\u201d he quips further.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur game is based on organisation and pressing. We do a lot of running around. The boys will have to be 100 percent fit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dig! Look Ahead! Perform! The boys sit down. Looking back at their performance against Uzbekistan who stay ranked 5th in Asia against India\u2019s 32, it was all gain for India. The fightback in the second half prompts one to look ahead; and plan to perform.<\/p>\n

One shouldn\u2019t forget it\u2019s the top-16 of Asia who are competing in this Championship. You look at the list of teams. Bahrain aren\u2019t here; UAE aren\u2019t here too; and neither are Qatar and even Jordan! It\u2019s the U-16 Asian Cup!<\/p>\n

At the Team Hotel, there\u2019s immense interest over the Indian team contingent. People love to talk at length with you about Indian culture, art, literature and even Indian sportspersons. \u201cSushil Kumar is very good in kushti\u201d a lady from the Communication Department, reflects. You feel proud.<\/p>\n

The boys gear up as they rediscover themselves. The temporary disappointment has dried down in the glowing Tehran sun. The buzz is back, the corridor, no more haunted. Colourful kites brave the wind as they decorate the sky.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Indian Sports News Network<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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