AFC Asian Cup | We will have to focus on one match at a time, says Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

The Indian football team is all set to begin its AFC Asian Cup campaign from 6th of this month when they will take on Thailand in their first match of the tournament. The Indian team has been put in Group-A of the tournament along with the UAE, Thailand, and Bahrain. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who is most likely to man India’s goalpost in the first match, has expressed that it will be a challenge to face any team in the tournament.

“No team will come into the Asian Cup without doing their homework. I am sure the other three teams will hold us in high regards as well. All of our three opponents are big challenges to face. We have to be smart in our approach. We have to take it one game at a time, look to get the best possible result in the first game, and then approach the second match accordingly,” he added,” Gurpreet was quoted as saying by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) website.

Sandhu, who plays for the Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League, also stated that communication is an important aspect for a team and stated that the Indian team has been good that way.

“Communication between the defenders and goalkeeper is a hallmark of a strong team and in my opinion, we have done well in that respect. Once you play with each other and gain confidence, it gets better. The more you play together, the trust level increases,” mentioned Sandhu. 

The Indian team last time played the tournament back in 2011 when they faltered at the league stage and went on to lose all their three matches. Then they failed to qualify for the next Asian Cup tournament in 2015 as well.  

“The 2011 side was filled with a number of legends, all of whom were incredibly talented, and played under an incredible coach. However, in terms of team development and playing under the same system for a long time, I feel the batch of 2019 has the upper hand. The desire and the fire to learn defines our squad,” the custodian explained.

Only two current players, Sandhu and captain Sunil Chhetri were a part of the Indian team which participated in the Asian Cup of 2011. This time around Sandhu as an experienced campaigner would like to make the opportunity count.

“I was the youngest player in the 2011 team at 18, and this time we have so many U-23 players in the squad. It highlights the development of the sport at the grassroots level in the last 7-8 years,” he said.