FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup: India eye a quarterfinal berth, says coach Dennerby

India
will
begin
their
campaign
against
the
mighty
USA
on
October
11,
followed
by
Morocco
and
Brazil
on
October
14
and
October
17
respectively
at
the
Kalinga
Stadium
here.

“Of
course,
we’re
up
against
absolute
top
teams,
but
if
we
have
a
really
good
day
and
the
teams
have
a
little
bit
weaker
outing,
there’s
always
a
chance
for
the
team
coming
out
like
underdogs
to
win
that
game,”
said
the
63-year-old
in
a
virtual
press
meet.

“If
we
can
score
an
early
goal
against
one
of
these
teams,
they
may
get
a
little
bit
nervous,
get
stressed
and
so
on.
There’s
always
a
chance
and
if
we
get
a
chance
we’ll
take
it.”

The
top
two
teams
from
each
group
will
make
the
cut
for
the
quarters
and
if
their
respective
senior
FIFA
rankings
are
of
any
indication,
then
USA
are
the
world
no
1.
Brazil
are
in
top-10,
while
Morocco
(76)
are
the
only
nation
below
the
58-ranked
India
in
the
senior
women’s
rankings.

“Of
course,
we
want
to
be
in
the
quarters,
no
doubt
about
that,
and
we
are
going
to
play
with
all
our
hearts.
The
way
to
do
it
is
only
by
focusing
on
our
performances.

“For
me,
it’s
not
so
much
about
results.
We
have
to
stick
to
our
plan,
stay
calm
to
whatever
the
results
(are).
We
are
going
to
fight
to
take
points
from
each
and
every
opponent.

“But
first
of
all,
we
are
focusing
on
our
performances
and
hopefully
good
performances
will
also
lead
to
points,”
said
the
Swede,
who
took
charge
of
the
Blue
Tigress
in
November
2019
with
the
focus
on
the
U-17
WWC.

Counting
high
on
the
home
support
at
the
Kalinga
Stadium
here,
he
said:
“We
will
have
the
supporters
on
our
side.
Hopefully
a
good
number
of
spectators
in
the
stands
will
help
the
team
to
really
fight
and
fill
that
gap.”

“But
in
total,
I
am
going
to
look
at
performances
that
we
can
perform
at
the
top
level.
If
our
top
level
is
enough
to
beat
the
USA
or
Brazil,
it’s
too
early
to
say.”

Most
importantly,
it’s
about
showing
everyone
who
are
looking
at
us
with
high
expectations
that
we
also
have
a
really
good
team
with
a
lot
of
young
players
who
can
perform
at
the
highest
level
in
the
age
group.”

On
his
assessment
of
the
side,
Dennerby
said
the
team
has
a
solid
organisational
display
with
a
strong
defensive
unit
in
Astam
Oraon,
Kajal,
Naketa,
Purnima
Kumari,
Varshika
and
Shilky
Devi
Hemam.

In
Nitu
Linda,
they
have
a
deceptive
mid-fielder
who
has
a
knack
of
finding
good
spaces
and
Dennerby
said
it’s
a
team
with
a
strong
defence
with
quick
attacks.

“I
hope
that
you
will
see
India
with
a
really
strong
defence
and
well-organised
team
that
it’s
hard
to
score
on.

“Our
style
will
have
a
little
bit
of
quick
attacks
and
counter
attacks.
We
have
a
lot
of
speed
up
front
and
on
the
wings,
so
we
have
to
utilise
our
best
strengths.”

On
Nitu,
he
said:
“She
has
super
quality
in
deception
and
is
always
very
active,
fighting
for
her
team,
ready
to
move.

“She
also
has
a
quality
to
find
good
spaces
to
receive
balls
to
play
crucial
final
passes.
She’s
really
doing
well.”

They
are
fresh
from
their
Spain
trip
where
they
suffered
a
1-3
defeat
against
Sweden
in
the
first
match
of
the
exposure
tour
and
returned
with
a
17-1
win
over
WSS
Barcelona
Club.

“We’re
ready
and
excited.
We
performed
very
well
against
Sweden,
it
was
a
very
equal
game.
We
have
two
shots
on
the
bar
and
made
small
mistakes
against
a
quality
side
like
Sweden.

The
last
game
against
the
Academy
team
from
Barcelona
was
not
up
to
the
mark
as
with
their
fitness
level
they
couldn’t
handle
the
tempo
of
the
game,”
he
signed
off.