Latest news with #Jhingan
Hans India
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hans India
India not looking to rest on past laurels against Hong Kong, says Sandesh Jhingan
Kowloon (HK-China): As the Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong, China, gets closer, many on the Indian side of the continental football spectrum will be recalling the last match played between the two sides – a roaring 4-0 victory for the Blue Tigers in Kolkata, three years ago. For the Indian senior men's national team, however, that is ancient history. While the last meeting between India and Hong Kong-China was a resounding win for the former, things have changed since then. 'In football, you can never rest on the laurels of the past. I remember we played them (in 2022) and we won 4-0, but that's a thing of the past now,' said Jhingan, about the much-changed Hong Kong side now. 'We know how good a side they are, and how important this game is, and that's that.' The Indian senior men's team, ahead of Matchday 2 of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers, held their first training session in Hong Kong on Friday evening at the Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre in Tseung Kwan O. The Blue Tigers will train at the Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground on Saturday and Sunday, followed by an official training session at the newly constructed Kai Tak Stadium on matchday minus one (Monday). The Asian Cup qualifier on June 10 will be the first competitive football match at the 50,000-capacity venue. Still looking to recapture their form, the Blue Tigers have kept their heads up and are focusing on what needs to be done to turn their fortunes around, after a 0-2 loss against Thailand in a preparatory international friendly last week. Sandesh Jhingan, who had captained the side against Thailand on June 4, is focused on getting the best result against Hong Kong. 'When we arrived (in Hong Kong) just after the Thailand game, the focus for the team was on recovery. However, the main focus since we assembled for the camp in Kolkata (on May 18), has always been to get the maximum points against Hong Kong,' said Jhingan. 'It's all about preparing ourselves in the training sessions leading up to the game, so we can arrive at the match in the best way possible, both physically and mentally, and try to get maximum points,' he added. While the loss against Thailand was a bitter pill to swallow for the Blue Tigers, it did afford them insight into the areas that need to be improved upon. 'We need to be more decisive and clinical inside the boxes at both ends. First and foremost, we need to be more solid at the back. If the defence is good, we will have more chances going forward. And the other part, of course, is that we need to be more clinical in attack. 'There were both positives and negatives from that game, and we will analyse and build on them," he added.
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
We need to do well in all departments, says Sandesh Jhingan
A collective team effort can only bring back the winning rhythm and end Indian football's barren run in the continental stage, according to the national men's team central defender, Sandesh Jhingan. With India preparing for its second group league match of the AFC Asian Cup qualifier (final round) against Hong Kong on June 10 at the AIFF centre of excellence here, Jhingan said the team needs to find the right coordination between departments to regain its successful form. 'We are facing certain things which led to a dip in form. We (the players) feel worse, and so do our families. Sometimes we let the country down, but there are times when we came up with great performances. That's the life of a footballer. You have to keep trying to do better and focus on the future,' Jhingan said. India remained winless all through 2024 (in six matches) before finding its first success on March 19 this year against Maldives in an international friendly to end a winless streak of 489 days. The crisis returned as India played a goalless draw while hosting Bangladesh in the first match of the Asian Cup qualifier (on March 25) and lost the opportunity of picking up full points. Needing a win against Hong Kong to brighten its chances, India will have to regain its scoring efficiency, which Jhingan said will happen if everyone in the team does his job properly. 'The reason we are not scoring is that we at the back are not putting up the ball to the midfield. And the midfield is not putting good balls in the box, and that's why we're not scoring. To point out a single aspect is very unfair as it is a collective effort in the end,' he said.
