<p>The Indian squad for the 1974 Asian Youth Championship did not fire a shot into the air or sound the trumpet upon their return to India from Bangkok. After a very admirable 2-2 tie against Iran in the final, they returned as discretely as they had gone, but they also took with them the joint winners’ trophy, glory, and honor for the nation.</p>
<p>Shabbir Ali, the illustrious captain of the 1974 squad, has no regrets now, 49 years later. Instead, he watched the India vs. Vietnam game at the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Bangkok from the comfort of his Hyderabad home on Saturday, paying close attention to every play.<img decoding=”async” loading=”lazy” class=”alignnone wp-image-30269″ src=”https://www.theindiaprint.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/www.theindiaprint.com-former-blue-tigers-say-that-the-focused-india-u-17s-may-do-better-against-uzbekistan-download-2023-06-19t145749.402.jpg” alt=”” width=”1102″ height=”733″ /></p>
<p>The 1-1 tie was ultimately quite disappointing. Maybe we could have won. Our set-ups were strong and purposeful, and our players generated opportunities everytime they got the ball, according to Shabbir, a member of the AIFF Executive Committee and the head of the federation’s advisory committee.</p>
<p>India is part of a powerful group. Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and Japan are all compact nations. What struck me as impressive was how India’s style of play versus Vietnam never changed. They gripped the ball while evenly distributing it. The lads showed no signs of anxiety or needless rush.This is good, he remarked.</p>
<p>Shabbir expressed his admiration for the India U17 team’s preparation under the capable direction of the federation. “We rarely had any support before or after the competition the year we won the championship. I recall a specific Kolkata club giving each of the team’s players a luggage. Just that. The AIFF’s build-up strategy was outstanding with this squad, and the outcome is evident. There is no need to be dissatisfied about the tie in the first game since the team is performing well, according to Shabbir.</p>
<p>Climax Lawrence, a different former captain of India, was pleased with the outcome. “The draw wasn’t the only factor. I would acknowledge that getting three points would have been preferable, but India had the chance to earn all possible points. They had things going nicely and had more influence in the opening half hour,” Climax added.</p>
<p>The climax highlighted the fact that India had four open chances to score against the opposition in the second half. Vietnam had a few chances in the first half, but our defense played outstandingly to contain them for the whole of the second session. Our coach Bibiano Fernandes handled the replacements well. It made our game better.</p>
<p>India performed well overall and executed its strategy. Climax, a member of the AIFF Executive Committee, said, “I believe they can do better than this against bigger opponents like Uzbekistan and Japan.</p>
<p>The winning goal against Vietnam in the group stage was scored by Vikram Partap Singh, the star of India’s show at the 2018 tournament, and it helped the Blue Colts advance to the quarterfinals. He believes that India’s first game showed potential for improved outcomes.</p>
<p>“I believe the players got off to a good start at the AFC U-17 Asian Cup. Since the first game in a tournament like this is typically challenging, I see this as a really good outcome, said Vikram.</p>
<p>The attacker went on to represent the India U-23 National Team and contributed significantly to Mumbai City winning the ISL League this year. The 21-year-old thinks the U-17 Asian Cup is a fantastic chance for the youngsters to get attention.</p>
<p>Vikram remarked, “I was in their shoes back in 2018, and after playing a number of tour matches, you already tend to be in a fixed frame of mind. “I’ve seen them perform, and they’re all excellent,” I said. I believe it’s a fantastic chance for them to perform and get attention. They must take advantage of the situation and give it their all. All there is to it is that. Results will manifest.</p>
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