India U-22 impress in practice match vs Delhi XI

The India Under-22 team preparing for the AFC Under-22 Asian Cup qualifiers in Oman later this month played a practice match during their ongoing camp in Delhi. Yesterday they beat a Delhi XI, which had recently played the Santosh Trophy, 4-0 at the Ambedkar Stadium.

Talented striker Alwyn George opened the scoring for the India U-22s for Manandeep Singh to double the score in the first half itself. After the breather the India Under-22 team added two more through midfielders Tirthankar Sarkar and Deepak Prakash.

Newly appointed coach Arthur Papas tried out numerous players to see how they perform in a friendly match. "It's a good start but a Coach can never be satisfied," he said after the match. "This was our first competitive match and I wanted to see as many players as possible," Arthur Papas added.

One of the elements seen in this friendly was that the Under-22 team is playing in a typical Dutch 4-3-3 formation which Papas has been stressing upon since Day one. The boys stayed content in playing as many passes as possible and the midfield operated at a good pace.

"It's a new system for the boys. But they have come up well and adjusted fast," Papas commented on the change in formation.

AIFF General Secretary Kushal Das also had a word of encouragement for the boys. "It is a new Coach and a new style of play. It was nice to see all of you combining well on the field," the GS told the boys in the dressing room after the final whistle.

Little time remains for the team before they travel to Oman to face tough opposition to qualify for the first-ever AFC Under-22 Asian Cup.