Intercontinental Cup: Stimac’s wards ready to make it count

PTI

Bhubaneswar, June 8

India’s opponents in the Intercontinental Cup may not be as tough as the ones they will come across in the AFC Asian Cup, but the invitational tournament will be good preparation for the continental showpiece, reckoned head coach Igor Stimac today.

While Lebanon and Vanuatu will play in the tournament opener, hosts India will take on Mongolia in the day’s second match, kicking off their campaign against the lowest-ranked team (No. 183) in the tournament.

Stimac said the team has prepared well for the tournament. “We’re expecting to win the tournament, and that’s why we’re here. We’ll do everything possible to make that happen,” Stimac said at the pre-tournament press conference.

The big target for India is the Asian Cup in Qatar in seven months’ time, and with the Blue Tigers set to appear in the SAFF Championship and Merdeka Cup also, Stimac believes every game will count until the end of this year. “Although our opponents (in the Hero Intercontinental Cup) are not as tough as the teams we’ll face in the Asian Cup, but they’re still good and competitive. Mongolia are a very aggressive side with a lot of young players in midfield and up front. They press high and play counterattacking football. Even though they may find it difficult to adapt to the warm weather here, their players are arriving in competitive form,” he said.