India U17 Team Prepares for Major Tournaments with Friendly Matches in Bali

India's U17 football team is playing friendly matches in Bali against Indonesia U17 and has recently drawn a practice match against Bali United FC U20. Head coach Ishfaq Ahmed emphasizes the importance of such exposure ahead of the SAFF Championship and AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

The India Under-17 football team, coached by Ishfaq Ahmed, is in Bali for crucial friendly matches ahead of the SAFF U17 Championship and AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers. The team played a friendly against Bali United FC U20, resulting in a 2-2 draw, with goals from Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Arbash.

Ahmed highlighted the significance of testing the entire squad, noting that the main eleven only participated in the last 25 minutes of the match. He praised the training facilities, stating, "Everything has been top class, which is ideal for us to prepare for the main tournaments coming up." The team had been training in Srinagar before their trip, emphasizing their commitment to preparation.

The friendly matches, according to Ahmed, are critical for the team's exposure to high-level competition. "This is the kind of competition we will face in the future," he remarked. The Indonesian youth teams have been improving steadily, as seen with their notable performance in recent youth championships, adding further value to the friendly matches.

(With inputs from agencies.)