The India U20 men’s team will aim to end their 20-year absence from the AFC U20 Asian Cup when they face Bangladesh in a crucial final Group B encounter of the Qualifiers at the Do’stlik Stadium in Tashkent on Sunday. The Syria-Uzbekistan match kicks off at 19:30 IST, meaning India will have to wait until the conclusion of that fixture to know their final position in the group, regardless of the result against Bangladesh.
The Blue Colts head into the final match knowing that even a draw could be enough to see them finish second in the group, provided Syria do not defeat group leaders Uzbekistan in the other fixture later in the evening, according to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).
“The result against Uzbekistan was disappointing. They are a quality side, of course. We are also a good team, but we couldn’t play at the level we desired. But we are still alive in the qualifiers, and our focus is on Bangladesh. “The feeling in the camp is very positive and motivated. We know how important this next game is, and everyone is fully focused on the job.
The importance of Sunday’s encounter is therefore difficult to overstate. Should India finish second, they would have a chance to qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 as one of the seven best runners-up across the eight groups. India are aiming to return to the AFC U20 Asian Cup for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2006, and qualification would mark a significant milestone for the boys who have been working towards this goal for many months. Bangladesh won that contest on penalties after a goalless 90 minutes. Danny was part of the India side that competed at the AFC U17 Asian Cup in 2023, giving him first-hand experience of what representing the country at a continental final can mean for a young player.
We have one more game, and that is the most important thing for us now,” said head coach Mahesh Gawali. We just have to stay together, follow the coach’s instructions and give everything on the pitch to achieve our goal,” said Danny.
India and Bangladesh are no strangers to each other at this level, having faced off in the final of the SAFF U20 Championship earlier this year.
