'Impressed by Effort but Disappointed in Outcome': Crispin Chhetri Reflects on India's Display at Pink Ladies Cup

Sharjah, Feb 25 (NationPress) The Indian senior women's squad is set to take on the Korea Republic in their third and final friendly encounter at the Pink Ladies Cup at the Al Hamriya Sports Club Stadium here on Wednesday. This follows their intense battle against Russia on Sunday, where the Blue Tigresses suffered a 0-2 defeat, conceding a goal midway through the first half and another during injury time. In their opening match, India emerged victorious against Jordan with a score of 2-0.

Facing Russia proved to be a significant challenge for the defense. After some shaky moments early on, India gradually built confidence and managed to hold their ground for extended periods. However, Crispin Chhetri expressed that settling for a narrow defeat isn't acceptable and that a winning mindset must be maintained against all adversaries. "I believe we should not be satisfied with just a two-goal loss. We had opportunities to perform better. We generated chances, and we had the potential to score. The players' mentality is improving with each match. The spirit we displayed against Russia was commendable. I am satisfied with the effort, but the result leaves much to be desired. We could have achieved more," Chhetri stated.

Chhetri, who is captaining the national team for the first time, highlighted prior to the tournament that each match would present unique challenges, which has been evident thus far. "Jordan presented a different challenge compared to Russia. Tomorrow's clash with Korea will also be distinct. Each team has its own unique style of play, and we must adapt accordingly," he added.

Ranked 20th, Korea Republic is 49 spots ahead of India and has recorded two convincing victories up to this point. Under the guidance of coach Shin Sang-woo, they secured a 3-0 win against Uzbekistan and a 4-0 triumph over Thailand. This will mark their eighth encounter with India, having claimed victory in all previous seven meetings. "We have had two days to prepare for Korea. We understand their style of play, which is vastly different from that of Russia. Russia is formidable in size and strength, while Korea excels in speed. Their decision-making is quicker and they are notably more effective in finishing chances," he mentioned.

“We need to prevent them from exploiting the flanks and creating cutbacks, as they excel in that area. We cannot afford to let them slip behind us for those opportunities. Offensively, we aim to capitalize on swift counterattacks led by Manisha," he added.

Among the newcomers making their senior debut in the Pink Ladies Cup is centre-back Purnima Kumari. Teaming up with Sweety Devi in defense, the 20-year-old is embracing the challenge in Sharjah, facing some of the fastest and tallest opponents she has encountered. Yet, Purnima remains unfazed.

"I have gained invaluable experience during my initial outing with the national team. I am giving it my all and feel confident. Sweety-didi, a seasoned player, has been extremely supportive despite it being our first match together. She is guiding and teaching me a lot. Whenever I make a mistake, she encourages me to keep going.

"While the Russians were physically strong and tall, I stayed focused on our game. They were merely playing their style. I never felt intimidated by them. Although we lost, we remain optimistic. Our defensive unit has a strong synergy, and there's a solid level of trust among us," Purnima shared.