India women look to do double over Kyrgyzstan

Bishkek, April 6

Buoyed by their comprehensive 5-0 victory against Kyrgyzstan in the first game of the AFC Olympics qualifiers Round 1, the Indian women’s team will hope to build on it when they take on the hosts in the second leg here tomorrow.

The Thomas Dennerby-coached side had returned to the winning ways after five disappointing results in the first three months of the year, defeating Kyrgyzstan at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium on Tuesday in the first of the two-legged Group G tie.

With four different players finding the back of the net, there’s a renewed enthusiasm in the dressing room. A double strike from Anju Tamang, a clinical volley from Soumya Guguloth in the first half and two more goals from Shilky Devi and Renu in the second half helped India secure an emphatic win.

“In the first game, we were desperate for goals, because we had gone in without many of our big goalscorers,” Dennerby said. “Tomorrow, I want the team to keep another clean sheet. We will get chances, I have no doubt, but I want the players to repeat their defensive solidity from the first game,” the Swedish tactician added.