MARGAO
“Indian football is at its best under the captaincy of Sunil Chhetri. The team has performed amazingly well in recent times, winning and losing some tournaments leading to the Asia Cup. They took on the Qatar team right after they won the Asia Cup, and went toe-to-toe with them, snatched a draw, that too in their backyard ” it was by no means an easy task,” said former India attacking footballer Alvito D’Cunha.
He said the result can motivate the Indian players to have a shot at advancing further to the next round.
“It was a big achievement, drawing against Asian champions Qatar and that too in Qatar. This match should motivate the players to do well and instill confidence in the second leg against Qatar,” D’Cunha told The Goan on Wednesday.
“The boys have played well against Oman and Qatar and if they continue in the same way, there can be a possibility for India to make it to the next round, you never know. But it should not be a one-off performance and they should maintain it in the matches coming up,” he added.
“East Bengal to me means everything. I never played for another club. Mohun Bagan had offered me a blank cheque. I told myself how can I play against a club I love so much. Sporting Clube de Goa came with an eye-popping offer. I was tempted, I will not lie. But again I thought how can I leave this club? That chant “Alvi Alvi Alvi” I won’t get anywhere else. There is so much bonding at the East Bengal tent,” said D’Cunha.
D’Cunha hailed the impact the Hero ISL has made ever since its inception in 2014.
Meanwhile, Armando Colaco, former India coach under his tutelage India stunned Qatar in a international friendly match said, “Just go out there and express yourselves and play with confidence.”
