New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) India U20 women’s team captain Shubhangi Singh expressed confidence in her side’s preparations as they gear up for the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup in Thailand, stating that the team is ready to take on top opponents in the continental tournament.

India returns to the competition after a gap of two decades and will open their campaign against Japan on April 2. They are placed in Group C alongside Japan, Australia, and Chinese Taipei.

Reflecting on the qualification campaign, Shubhangi said the team had approached it with belief and clarity. “We went there with the mindset to qualify, and we did,” she said. “When you already believe something is going to happen, it doesn’t come as a surprise.”

The Young Tigresses, currently training in Kolkata, will leave for Bangkok on March 20 as part of their final preparations.

“Our focus is on the three difficult group games ahead. At this stage, we don’t expect any easy matches. We’re ready and want to go out there and perform well against top teams. Before the Asian Cup, we’ll play some more preparatory matches, so that will also help us,” Shubhangi said.

India faces Japan on April 2, followed by Australia on April 5 and Chinese Taipei on April 8. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-placed teams, will progress to the quarter-finals. The four semi-finalists will secure qualification for the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Poland 2026.

The team’s preparations have included an exposure tour in Sweden and multiple international friendlies against Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

“We prepared really well. Spending a month in Sweden and playing against European clubs was a great experience. Those teams were physically taller and stronger than us, so it helped us understand how to handle that,” She explained.

She also acknowledged the lessons from a heavy defeat against Swedish club Hammarby IF during the tour.

“The first game was the toughest. The 0-6 loss wasn’t acceptable, but it was a big learning experience. From the second game onwards, we adapted better. We had a couple of wins, a draw, and a loss before ending the camp with a 5-2 win (against Älvsjö AIK). Overall, it helped us understand European playing styles and prepare for teams like Japan,” she said.

India also registered positive results against Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan in recent friendlies, gaining valuable experience against physically strong opponents.

“We’ve played Uzbekistan multiple times, before and after the qualifiers, and managed good results, including three wins and a draw,” Shubhangi noted.

“We had one win and one draw in Kazakhstan. We were the better team in terms of possession, but we initially struggled against physically bigger players. Those matches taught us a lot about handling such opponents.”

India begins their campaign against six-time champions Japan, one of the strongest sides in the competition.

“Japan is a very strong team. Their junior teams play similarly to their senior team, so we know what to expect,” Shubhangi said. “At this stage, we can’t go into games thinking the opponent is stronger. We want to show what this Indian team can do, ” the skipper said.

Despite the challenge ahead, the captain emphasised the team’s ambition to progress beyond the group stage.

“The focus is to perform well and aim for qualification to the knockout stages. To everyone in Thailand and back home in India, please watch and support us! Your support means a lot, and we’ll do our best to perform well,” she concluded.

–IANS

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