Tashkent, July 13 (IANS) India U20 Women’s international friendly against Uzbekistan, scheduled for Sunday in Tashkent, has been called off due to operational challenges at the Do’stlik Stadium

India are using these friendly games to prepare for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers next month, where they will face Indonesia, Turkmenistan and hosts Myanmar.

“ The U20 Women’s International Friendly between India and Uzbekistan, scheduled for today in Tashkent, has been called off due to operational challenges at the Do’stlik Stadium. Efforts are ongoing to reschedule the match,” read the statement by the All India Football Federation.

The Young Tigresses, who had been training at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru, landed in the Uzbek capital on Friday morning and had a gym session in the evening.

India U20 women travelled with a squad of 24 players, which saw a last-minute change as Anika Devi Sharubam replaced goalkeeper Melody Chanu Keisham due to the latter being ill.

Uzbekistan, led by head coach Vladimir Panov, are also preparing as hosts of Group G of the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers, where they will take on Bahrain, Northern Mariana Islands and Jordan. The Central Asian nation also hosted the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2024 but lost all games and finished at the bottom of Group A.

Uzbekistan U20’s 23-member squad for these friendlies against India includes four players who travelled to Bengaluru in May with the senior team for the two FIFA friendlies against India. For India, there are two such players — goalkeeper Monalisha Devi Moirangthem and defender Shubhangi Singh, who were in the two matchday squads against the Uzbekistan senior team as the Blue Tigresses lost 0-1 on both occasions.

The Indian senior team and the U20s were training in the same facilities in Bengaluru, preparing for their respective Asian qualifiers. They played a practice match against each other last month, and a few U20 players also trained with the senior team during the camp.

While the Blue Tigresses got their job done, emerging victorious in Thailand to qualify for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup, it’s now time for the Young Tigresses to do the same.

–IANS

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