Latest news with #AFCU-23
The Print
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The Print
India gear up for Tajikistan test ahead of U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers
Drawn in Group E alongside Bahrain, Qatar and Brunei Darussalam, India will be aiming to qualify for the continental event for the first time when the qualifiers are held in September. The match will be played at the Hisor Central Stadium near Dushanbe, with the second fixture against Kyrgyz Republic scheduled for Saturday. New Delhi, Jun 17 (PTI) India men's football team will take on hosts Tajikistan in a friendly match on Wednesday, kicking off a crucial two-match tour that serves as preparation for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers later this year. The ongoing tour is seen as a vital tune-up in terms of acclimatisation, team cohesion, and tactical fine-tuning. The Naushad Moosa-coached 23-member squad had been in camp in Kolkata since June 1 before flying out to Dushanbe. After arriving in the Tajik capital on Monday evening, the team held a mobility session Tuesday morning and followed it up with a 90-minute evening training session at the venue, which is located around 25 kilometres from the city. Tajikistan U23s were last in action in November 2024 when they lost two friendlies against United Arab Emirates, both by a 0-3 margin. At the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024, Tajikistan were knocked out in the group stage after defeats to Iraq and Saudi Arabia and a win over Thailand. Moosa, however, is not reading too much into past results and is focused on the task at hand. 'We know Tajikistan are a strong team. They qualified for the U23 Asian Cup last year and also did well at the senior Asian Cup,' Moosa stated in AIFF website. 'The players will, of course, be different tomorrow. The coach has changed. We just have to go out there and do our job right,' added Moosa. Despite Dushanbe being located 700 metres above sea level, the weather is hot at this time of the year, soaring to almost 40 degrees during the day. What the Blue Colts mainly have to adjust to is the artificial turf surface of the Hisor Central Stadium, located 25 kilometres from the city of Dushanbe. Moosa hoped for a good turnout at the 20,000-capacity venue. 'The weather is pretty warm. It's normal for us. It's always good to have supporters in the stands. We would love to have them cheer for us,' said Moosa. 'Most of our players are coming here for the first time, so it would be great motivation for them. I think the last time the Indian senior team played in Tajikistan, there were a lot of Indian fans in the stadium, so let's hope for the same.' This tour marks Moosa's second assignment with the India U-23 side, having previously overseen their two friendlies against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur last year. The 53-year-old has been building momentum and instilling belief in the squad during this ongoing preparation phase. 'The boys are very eager for tomorrow. I've been talking to them about how important these games will be for us,' added Moosa. Kickoff: 8:30pm IST. PTI TAP APA APA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
India U-23 team ready to face Tajikistan: What did coach Naushad Moosa say ahead of friendly?
The India U-23 men's team is set to face host Tajikistan on Wednesday at the Hisor Central Stadium, followed by another friendly against Kyrgyz Republic on June 21. 'The boys are very eager for tomorrow. I've been talking to them about how important these games will be for us,' said head coach Naushad Moosa, for whom it's his second tour with the U-23 team, after coaching them in two friendlies against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur last year. For the Blue Colts, these matches in Tajikistan are part of their preparations for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers that will be held in September. India will face Bahrain, Qatar and Brunei Darussalam as it aims to qualify for the U-23 continental event for the first time. 'The weather is pretty warm. It's normal for us. It's always good to have supporters in the stands. We would love to have them cheer for us. Most of our players are coming here for the first time, so it would be great motivation for them. I think the last time the Indian senior team played in Tajikistan, there were a lot of Indian fans in the stadium, so let's hope for the same,' said the 53-year-old. 'We know Tajikistan are a strong team. They qualified for the U-23 Asian Cup last year and also did well at the senior Asian Cup. The players will, of course, be different tomorrow. The coach has changed. We just have to go out there and do our job right,' said Moosa. Tajikistan U-23 form guide Tajikistan U23s were last in action in November 2024 when they lost two friendlies against United Arab Emirates, both by a 0-3 margin. At the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2024, Tajikistan was knocked out in the group stage after defeats to Iraq and Saudi Arabia and a win over Thailand.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
India gear up for Tajikistan test ahead of U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers
New Delhi, India men's football team will take on hosts Tajikistan in a friendly match on Wednesday, kicking off a crucial two-match tour that serves as preparation for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers later this year. The match will be played at the Hisor Central Stadium near Dushanbe, with the second fixture against Kyrgyz Republic scheduled for Saturday. Drawn in Group E alongside Bahrain, Qatar and Brunei Darussalam, India will be aiming to qualify for the continental event for the first time when the qualifiers are held in September. The ongoing tour is seen as a vital tune-up in terms of acclimatisation, team cohesion, and tactical fine-tuning. The Naushad Moosa-coached 23-member squad had been in camp in Kolkata since June 1 before flying out to Dushanbe. After arriving in the Tajik capital on Monday evening, the team held a mobility session Tuesday morning and followed it up with a 90-minute evening training session at the venue, which is located around 25 kilometres from the city. Tajikistan U23s were last in action in November 2024 when they lost two friendlies against United Arab Emirates, both by a 0-3 margin. At the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024, Tajikistan were knocked out in the group stage after defeats to Iraq and Saudi Arabia and a win over Thailand. Moosa, however, is not reading too much into past results and is focused on the task at hand. "We know Tajikistan are a strong team. They qualified for the U23 Asian Cup last year and also did well at the senior Asian Cup," Moosa stated in AIFF website. "The players will, of course, be different tomorrow. The coach has changed. We just have to go out there and do our job right," added Moosa. Despite Dushanbe being located 700 metres above sea level, the weather is hot at this time of the year, soaring to almost 40 degrees during the day. What the Blue Colts mainly have to adjust to is the artificial turf surface of the Hisor Central Stadium, located 25 kilometres from the city of Dushanbe. Moosa hoped for a good turnout at the 20,000-capacity venue. "The weather is pretty warm. It's normal for us. It's always good to have supporters in the stands. We would love to have them cheer for us," said Moosa. "Most of our players are coming here for the first time, so it would be great motivation for them. I think the last time the Indian senior team played in Tajikistan, there were a lot of Indian fans in the stadium, so let's hope for the same." This tour marks Moosa's second assignment with the India U-23 side, having previously overseen their two friendlies against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur last year. The 53-year-old has been building momentum and instilling belief in the squad during this ongoing preparation phase. 'The boys are very eager for tomorrow. I've been talking to them about how important these games will be for us,' added Moosa. Kickoff: 8:30pm IST.
Observer
6 days ago
- Sport
- Observer
Oman Olympic U-23 conclude Russia camp
MUSCAT: The Oman Olympic U-23 national football team has concluded their ten-day overseas training camp in Russia with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Saturn Ramenskoye FC in their final friendly match on Tuesday. This external camp formed a key phase in the team's preparations for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers. During the Russia camp, Oman played a total of three friendly matches — two against the Russia Olympic team and one against Saturn Ramenskoye FC. The first match ended in a 1-0 loss for Oman, followed by a goalless draw in the second encounter. The final match against Saturn Ramenskoye FC also concluded with a 1-0 result in favor of the hosts. Oman and Saturn Ramenskoye FC player fight for the ball Despite the match results, Oman's technical staff, led by head coach Bader al Maimani, considered the camp a success. The coaching team used the friendlies to assess player readiness, experiment with lineups and address both offensive and defensive strategies. Furthermore, the players gained valuable experience competing against strong international sides and the camp enhanced team cohesion and on-field communication. The Oman Olympic U-23 The camp was part of Oman's broader preparations for the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers where they will compete in Group F alongside Iraq, Pakistan and hosts Cambodia. The qualification matches will run from September 1 to 9, with Oman opening their campaign against Cambodia on September 3, facing Iraq on September 6 and concluding against Pakistan on September 9. The group winners and the best four runners-up across all groups will qualify for the finals, joining the host nation Saudi Arabia. Prior to the Russia camp, Oman completed a domestic training phase in Muscat in May and the internal camp featured two warm-up matches including a 2-1 loss to the Royal Court Affairs team and a goalless draw with the Royal Navy of Oman (RNO).
