SAFF: India bristling with confidence

Margao: For India, any South Asian football championship is a double-edged sword. You are the big boss in South Asian football, expected to win everything on offer. If you win, it’s on expected lines; if you fail, all hell breaks loose.
India won the first five editions of the SAFF Women’s Championship but lost the last two, not even making it to the final. That honour belonged to champions Bangladesh and finalists Nepal. Now, slowly, steadily, order is being restored. Crispin Chettri’s side is getting sharper, match by match, as they look to regain lost glory.
India ended Bangladesh’s four-year dominance and 10-game unbeaten run to top group B and set up a semifinal clash against Bhutan at the Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, on Wednesday, 8pm.
“We were good against Bangladesh, scored goals, but we have to improve in certain areas,” Crispin told TOI during a training session at Don Bosco ground, Fatorda, on Tuesday. “Overall, mentality-wise, I was happy. Sometimes things don’t go the way you want, but the fighting spirit was there. We converted chances. In football, sometimes you get few chances, you have to convert (all). Our goals were good. I am happy with that.”
India started their campaign with a 11-0 victory against Maldives and are yet to concede a goal in the tournament. Crispin is upbeat and doesn’t want to experiment with too many changes for the last-four clash.
“We’ll make a few changes, not like a drastic change of six players (like the game against Bangladesh). Now we know the combination of players. I like to give a chance to younger ones who have performed, who have given their best. So maybe there will be a maximum of two or three changes, nothing more,” said Crispin.
India have been bolstered with the arrival of Manisha Kalyan, the team’s high-profile winger who plies her trade with Peruvian club Alianza Lima. Manisha missed Tuesday’s training session due to the long flight from South America and is unlikely to play a major role in the semifinals.
“Fatorda is a difficult ground to adjust to. Whoever plays for the first time, it always gets difficult. So, maybe, just to make her feel the ground, we will field her. It depends how her body reacts to the long flight, the 12-hour time difference, a different time zone,” said Crispin.
Bhutan will be no pushovers.
Bhutan, who arrived here before any other team, lost their opener against Nepal by a solitary goal but qualified for the semifinals with a convincing 4-0 demolition of Sri Lanka. Captain Pema Tshering led from the front with a hat-trick and could pose a challenge for India defenders.
“Bhutan is improving with each game. The Bhutan we saw four-five years ago is different to this team. They have come far. They are the most improved side. It will be a good game, and we should have a mindset just to go and win the game,” said Crispin.
Earlier in the day, Bangladesh face Nepal in the first semifinal at 4pm.

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SAFF Women’s C’Ship (semis): Bangladesh vs Nepal, 4pm; India vs Bhutan, 8pm, Nehru Stadium, Fatorda