The Indian women’s national team will travel to Uzbekistan next month in order to play friendlies against Uzbekistan and Belarus with the games part of All India Football Federation (AIFF) plans to ensure that the side receive some much needed gametime ahead of the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup that will be held in India.
These couple of friendly games are much needed for the women's squad considering that they have not participated in any competitive games in the recent past, with the squad members last taking part in a camp last December which was held by head coach Maymol Rocky.
The trip to Uzbekistan will be the second overseas one taken by the Indian squad this year, with the women traveling to Turkey in February where they played three international friendlies. The women did not fare well in the those games though as they lost all three games – 0-2 to Serbia, 0-8 to Russia and 2-3 to Ukraine.
The Football Associationof Odisha is delighted to inform you that two Odisha Players Jabamani Tudu & Pyari Xaxa have been selected to represent Senior Indian Women's team which is touring to Uzbekistan to play friendly international matches.
Kudos and the very best to both ⚽? pic.twitter.com/16lyEy7Kfb
Rocky for his part though believed that the losses were a great learning experience as it came against stronger sides.
"Playing against strong European teams will help us prepare for the Asian Cup. These experiences will be vital for the girls in these two years. The two months in the camp allowed the girls to get back into shape both physically and mentally for International football," he said as quoted by Newsclick.
"After the pandemic, we have been in camp (in Goa) for almost four months now, and the team is really gelling well together. Both Uzbekistan and Belarus are strong sides, and will provide ample challenge to the girls in the two friendlies," Rocky added.
India women's squad
Goalkeepers: Aditi Chauhan, Sowmiya Narayansamy, M Linthoingambi Devi
Defenders: Jabamani Tudu, Ashalata Devi, Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Ranjana Chanu, W Linthoingambi Devi, Kritina Devi, Anju Tamang
Midfielders: Indumathi Kathiresan, Manisha, Sangita Basfore, Martina Thokchom, Pyari Xaxa, Dangmei Grace, Soumya Guguloth
Forwards: Renu, Karishma Purushottam Shirvoikar, Sandhiya Ranganathan, Sumati Kumari, Heigrujam Daya Devi
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