Intercontinental Cup 2024: India Aims For Second Consecutive Triumph Ahead Of Syria Clash In Hyderabad

New Delhi: The clash between India and Syria will happen within the ‘winner-takes-it-all’ 0.33 and final game of the Intercontinental Cup trophy on 9th September, Monday at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad. India, who began the competition with a goalless draw against Mauritius on Tuesday, are eyeing their 2nd consecutive Intercontinental Cup triumph, and zero.33 overall. Syria beat Mauritius with 2-0 on Friday, which means they hold a slight advantage heading into the ultimate game because the Eagles of Qasioun require best a draw to say the trophy. Syria has a long history of playing tournaments in India, but the title has always refrained from them. The West Asians lost back-to-back Nehru Cup finals to India in 2007 and 2009 earlier than finishing fourth in 2012.

It is an excellent distance worth bringing up that once Syria’s last outing to India within the 2019 Intercontinental Cup, Syria resulted in 0.33 place. But for the Blue Tigers to deny them an incredible silverware on Indian soil, they are going to deserve to finish a winless streak stretching back to November last year.

“It ought to be a difficult game for both sides. It’s a friendly game, but the team who wins the game wins the trophy. We predict to play crucial game and win the tournament,” said India head coach Manolo Márquez, who celebrated his 56th birthday on Saturday.

But the Spaniard also noted that the necessity of the hour for the national team is to play good football, and the implications will follow.

“If you happen to ask me, I favor to play crucial game than to win the tournament. I don’t would favor to win it 1-0, scoring with the hand. I need that, at this moment, the team understands our ideas and we play better because in the pinnacle, it’s now not about winning or losing.

“You deserve to arrive at a sort of play and that’s what we're specializing in. Obviously, while you win, the boldness grows after which it’s less difficult. But in the pinnacle, now it’s about that we now have gotten got confidence that we're ready to compete against each and every of the teams.

“Whenever it's good to have gotten it's good to have gotten time to work, the probabilities for achievement are more,” Márquez explained within the pre-match press conference.

Defender Jay Gupta concurred with his coach’s words.

“Obviously, it’s a game where we should fight for the cup, but we’re just hooked in to how we adapt to what the coach wants as soon as that that you ought to well be imagine.” Having completed per week’s training in Hyderabad, the 22-year-old shared that the mood within the dressing room is positive after the advent of Márquez at the helm.

“I suspect kind of a lot of players have already been under coach Manolo for a longer time (within the clubs), so that they would know a mode to adapt to him. But I just desired to say the atmosphere within the dressing room is well, actually positive,” said Gupta.

Márquez shared that fitness-wise, there’s still work to do for the players the reason is, season is better getting started, but overall, he and his coaching personnel are happy with the boys’ attitude within the learning ground.

“Everytime you should be within the pre-season, you don't appear to be for your best moment physically. Appropriately, some players finished the first game very tired. And which is normal. One good thing is that each 25 players are accessible in for the following day.

“We are satisfied with how they are working. We are very happy with the attitude they have gotten in every training session,” said Márquez.

Like India, Syria is likewise in their new era under new head coach José Lana.

The Spaniard became satisfied with their opening-game display against Mauritius as goals from Mustafa Abdullatif and Mahmoud Al-Mawas sealed a 2-0 win. He hopes to keep progressing and do even better against India.

“I suspect India is crucial team. I similar to the style they play with this coach. They move the ball fast. I suspect it truly is most often a difficult match for us. And our best objective for the following day is to be better than our previous match,” said Lana.