October 11
The seventh edition of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup kick starts today at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar with Morocco taking on Brazil.
India is set to begin its FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 2022 campaign against the USA at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, with kick-off slated for 8 PM IST today.
The Under-17 men’s World Cup was India’s first attempt at hosting a Fifa tournament, and it marked the debut of an Indian team at a football World Cup in 2017. India 2022 also marks the women’s debut at a global tournament, as the Thomas Dennerby-coached squad begins its campaign in Odisha today.
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Addressing the media at the official pre-match press conference, India head coach Thomas Dennerby spoke about the opponents and his expectations from the match, stating that the team’s focus will remain on executing the game plan.
“We have a team that we know can defend very well. One thing that everyone should be able to see is how hard it will be to score against us. If we utilize the chances we create, we can come out with points. The USA will come as the favourite but it’s all on paper. Our focus is on our game plan. If we have our best day and score an early goal, it will be good for us,” he stated.
The Young Tigresses will have the backing of the home crowd to push them forward and Dennerby stressed how matters will be decided by what happens on the pitch.
He quipped, “Home advantage is always there. Some girls can feel a little pressure if they see a large crowd in the stadium. However, it’s on the pitch that everything will be decided and the outcome of the match will be determined.”
Captain Astam Oraon spoke about the team’s excitement levels ahead of the opening fixture and said the team is “strong physically and mentally.”
“The team is excited to play against the USA and finally get the tournament started after training together for 6-7 months. Today is the day when we have to leave everything on the field. Our full focus is on the matches ahead and nothing else matters to us,” the defender said.
Dennerby said, “We showed last week against Sweden that we can match up against one of the best teams in the world. Everyone is looking forward to the game tomorrow and all of us are ready.”
“Of course, India will qualify for the quarterfinals. Everyone starts from zero points. It will be a huge success if we reach that stage!” he added.
Astam, who hails from Gumla district in Jharkhand, lauded the support provided by the Governments of Odisha and her home state.
She averred, “The Government of Jharkhand has helped a lot during our training time in Jamshedpur. The same goes for the Government of Odisha — everything is well-organised, the facilities are excellent and the overall environment is extremely positive. We are really happy about everything.”
“It was super fun to see them play! A huge congratulations to the team and staff. They have done a really good job and all of us are happy to see them progress as we are all working towards the same aim of taking Indian football forward together,” Dennerby concluded.
16 teams are part of this edition of the competition including hosts India. Two teams from each group will qualify for the knockout stage.
The final will be played on October 30 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. This is the first time India is hosting the competition and they will be making their debut this time.
