Kathmandu: India will face DPR Korea in their last Group B encounter in the AFC Challenge Cup on Tuesday. Indian team are already out of the tournament and will be playing for pride more than anything.

Head Coach Savio Medeira speaking on the sidelines of the training session said, “Whatever had happened is past. We need to look forward. All of us need to support each other and see that whatever mistakes we have committed in the past shouldn’t be repeated.”

“DPR Korea is the toughest opponent. As they have already qualified for the semis, they would not be under any pressure. We still have many things to prove,” he added. “All of us need to do a lot of introspection and then come to a conclusion. We have to take a step forward for the betterment of football in India.”

Former AIFF Footballer-of-the-Year, stopper back Gourmangi Singh accepted the lack of a cohesive effort in the last two matches. “We didn’t play as a team. The coordination and understanding wasn’t there. We are a young side, we need to develop as a team – that too, fast,” he maintained.

There would be quite a few changes in the starting line-up. Central Midfielder Adil Khan and striker Joaquim Abranches would be sitting out due to niggles.

Meanwhile, DPR Korea who are far ahead of India in the FIFA Ranking remain the only unbeatable side in the Group so far. They go in for the match with the psychological advantage as India has never managed to upstage them at the International level. They also have come in the Challenge Cup with at least 7 players from the team who played in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.


By Indian Sports News