The Indian men’s football team will look to bounce back from defeat in Auckland when they face New Zealand in the second of their two international friendlies here on Sunday.
The fixture will mark the first-ever international football match at the newly opened One New Zealand Stadium, a 25,000-seat, fully roofed venue in the heart of the city. India head coach Khalid Jamil has called on his players to take responsibility and respond after the opening match, in which 88th-ranked New Zealand scored five times through a Bijoy Varghese own goal, a Jesse Randall brace, Chris Wood and Lachlan Bayliss.
“If you see the result, it was not up to the mark, but the players are giving their best. The attitude of the players has been very good. We were playing against a stronger team, no doubt, but there is no excuse. We need to rectify our mistakes and fight back. In tomorrow’s game, every player must take responsibility and give everything,” Jamil said.
The head coach also acknowledged the challenges surrounding the Blue Tigers’ preparations, with the team travelling across time zones before the first fixture and having limited time to train ahead of the match.
“We also need to note the external factors beyond our control. We are playing an away game, and there is a seven-and-a-half-hour time difference. We had only one day of practice before travelling, and then had to play within two days. It takes time to adjust.
“Sometimes the mind is ready, but the body is not. But now everybody is settled, I believe,” he said.
Jamil also took responsibility for the result and reiterated his confidence in the players’ attitude and willingness to improve.
“The result, yes, it is my mistake. There were individual errors as well that led to the goals we conceded. But one good thing is the attitude of the players. They are ready to bounce back,” he said. India captain in the Auckland fixture, Anirudh Thapa, echoed the coach’s assessment and stressed the need for greater discipline and communication against the hosts.
“It was a very disappointing result for us. The boys were devastated after the game. We came here wanting to put in a good performance, but New Zealand were strong and punished our mistakes. We have to take responsibility as a team. We know we can do better, and we have to show that tomorrow,” Thapa said.
“At this level, you cannot afford to make too many mistakes. We have to be more disciplined, stay compact and communicate better with each other.”
“For me, it is about keeping everyone together. When things are not going well, we have to support each other and keep pushing. If I am given the captaincy, I have to lead by example, but every player has a responsibility towards the team and the country,” said the 28-year-old who captained India for only the second time in his international career.
The multi-purpose stadium, which opened in March this year, sits on land named Te Kaha, while the wider precinct is known as Te Kaharoa, meaning ‘Enduring Strength’ in Maori.