U-17 Women’s World Cup: India look to finish with a fight | Football News – Times of India

Face Brazil in their last group game
BHUBANESWAR: In November last year, Brazil legend Formiga’s farewell match against the senior Indian women’s team saw the emergence of a new star of Indian women’s football in Manisha Kalyan, who did the unexpected by scoring in a 1-6 defeat against the Selecao.
In their last match of FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup here on Monday, the home supporters will await another young Indian to do the unthinkable and strike the goal, even if a point or victory against a formidable Brazil U17 team appears to be a dream too far.

“We will fight and try to score a goal. It would be nice to come out of this tournament with a goal,” India coach Thomas Dennerby said during an interaction on Sunday.
Lying fourth on the Group A table with no point from the two games that they have played so far, the Indian girls will have their task cut out against Brazil, who need a victory to assure their passage into the knockouts.
“We have worked on the final crucial pass – the actions around the opponents’ box. That is also the hardest part in football, to learn exactly how to handle that kind of situation. The girls need to have a better understanding of decision making. We also have to work a little bit with the skills in those crucial moments, because in the end the result of all games are decided in the two boxes,” the veteran Swede added.
The Indian defence was much more organised in their second fixture of the World Cup against Morocco after the 8-0 thrashing at the hands of the US in the opener. But they lacked the creative and attacking prowess that could have given them a hopeful outcome against the debutants from North Africa.
To change that against the more experienced Brazilians – all of whom represent academy set-ups and get match practice in leagues for nine months every year – the Indian midfield will have to be more creative in attack and confident in thwarting opposition movements. The presence of promising young stars like Jhonson, skipper Carol and the undaunted Leilane at the goal will only enhance the difficulty in the job at hand for the hosts.