My team has the potential to give results: Ashalata

By Kaushik Kumar

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Ahead of the second round of the Olympic qualifiers, India women's football team captain Ashalata Devi has expressed confidence in her young team and said it has the potential to give results.

The women's team will be up against Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia in the tournament, which will begin from April 3 in Mandalay, Myanmar.

Talking to IANS about the crucial event, skipper Ashalata said: "We performed very well in the SAFF tournament and the girls also gave their 100 per cent. In the second round we will face teams against whom we have played in the past. We have played against Indonesia and have also played with Myanmar twice."

"As we know their game, their strength and weaknesses, we are preparing on that basis. I think Myanmar will be the strongest team of all and we hope to perform well against them," she added.

When asked how difficult it will be for her team as most of the players are young, the skipper said: "I was nervous before the SAFF final as how my young team will perform but opposed to that, my girls did exceedingly well. Even playing at their (Nepal) home and in front of their crowd, the girls played with confidence and we won."

"I am sure they will once again perform well in the qualifiers as we have played a lot of international games and my girls enjoy to play in the opposite team's ground," Ashalata added.

"As we performed as a unit in SAFF cup, the strategy will be similar in the qualifiers and they know how to deal in any situation," she said.

Meanwhile, team coach Maymol Rocky said that it will be a bit tough in the second round as both Indonesia and Myanmar are good teams, but also voiced confidence in her team.

"No doubt, it is going to be a bit difficult but again, I believe in my young team as they have given results in international matches. I am sure they will replicate the show in Myanmar," she opined.

Maymol also thanked the All India Football Federation (AIFF) for giving the team the much needed exposure and said it was due to AIFF that the team has been performing very well in the recent past.

(Kaushik Kumar can be contacted at kaushik.k@ians.in)

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