India will be underdogs, says Bibiano Fernandes

Al Khobar (Saudi Arabia), Sept 30

India Under-17 national team head coach Bibiano Fernandes said his boys haven’t tested themselves against the best but hoped they will be able to put up a good show in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2023 qualifiers after their recent success.

India have been clubbed in Group D of the qualifiers, where they will face the likes of Maldives (October 3), Kuwait (October 5), Myanmar (October 7), and hosts Saudi Arabia (October 9). The team started off their campaign by lifting the SAFF U-17 Championship in Sri Lanka earlier this month, before playing a friendly against Oman, which they won by a 3-1 margin.

“Our teams have done well in the qualifiers historically, but this is a completely new team, that is yet to test itself at this level. So as far as I am concerned, we are the underdogs,” said Fernandes.