MARGAO
India U-17 men’s head coach Bibiano Fernandes admitted there was a clear difference in quality after his side suffered a 4-0 defeat to Australia in their Group D opener of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Fernandes said Australia made better use of their opportunities, while India failed to capitalise on the chances they created.
“There is a difference in ability between the Australia players and our players, and we saw that in the chances both teams created. They converted their chances, while we couldn’t convert ours,” Fernandes said after the match.
“We are not happy about the result, but we now have three days to prepare ourselves and come back stronger. The next game is a must-win match for us, and we are already aware of that,” he added.
India will next face Uzbekistan on May 10 in a crucial Group D encounter. The AFC U-17 Asian Cup also serves as a qualification tournament for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026, with the top teams progressing further in the competition.
Fernandes remained optimistic about India’s chances despite the opening setback.
“Now we have the next game against Uzbekistan. We still have a good chance to qualify, so we will give our all in that match. It would be a great achievement for us to reach the quarter-finals,” he said.
The Indian coach also praised the discipline and effort shown by his players against one of the tournament favourites.
“I acknowledge the discipline displayed by my players against one of the strongest teams in the world. No matter what happens, I will always be proud of these players,” Fernandes stated.
“At the end of the day, it’s football and small details can decide matches. I always tell the players to enjoy football and be proud of themselves because we have worked very hard, often training in difficult conditions. They must keep their heads high. Now our focus shifts completely to Uzbekistan,” the head coach concluded.
