India eye historic U-17 World Cup qualification against Uzbekistan

Indias Under-17 mens team will look to keep alive their dream of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup on merit when it faces Uzbekistan in its final AFC U-17 Asian Cup group match here on Sunday.

India's Under-17 men's team will look to keep alive their dream of qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup on merit when it faces Uzbekistan in its final AFC U-17 Asian Cup group match here on Sunday. A win for the Bibiano Fernandes-coached side could send India through, provided Uzbekistan drop points against Australia. A draw may also be enough if Australia beat Uzbekistan by more than four goals. Head coach Bibiano Fernandes said World Cup qualification has been a long-cherished dream for the team, recalling India's near miss at the 2018 AFC U-16 Championship when they fell one win short of qualifying. ''This is something that's close to all of our hearts, and we have been feeding the same energy to all the boys. I feel the group, as a whole, is fully focused on doing everything possible to get to our ultimate target,'' he said. Fernandes said the team has used the three-day break to recover and prepare for what he expects to be a physical contest against Uzbekistan, similar to its opening game against Australia. He also expressed confidence in his players, citing their previous performances against strong sides like Turkey and South Korea in preparatory matches. ''We have faced physically strong teams in the past and performed well against them. We just need to remind ourselves of what we did in those matches. I am confident the boys will do well against Uzbekistan,'' said Fernandes. Kickoff: 10.30pm IST.