Mumbai: Dejected after conceding a late goal to draw 1-1 against a lower-ranked St Kitts and Nevis side, India head coach Stephen Constantine said that his team have learnt some important lessons from the game.
“We had enough chances to finish the game twice, but we didn’t take those chances and conceded, which was disappointing. In football it happens, so we will take a lesson from this,” Constantine told reporters after the match Thursday night.
The coach also seemed unhappy with the way his boys started the game and stated that lack of match practice has been the major cause. “The last time when any of them played a 90 minute game, it was at the end of the I-League season earlier this year in May. That’s why I needed these two games before Macau,” informed the coach.
The manner in which India conceded the goal left Constantine a worried man. “Look at times the other side will score also, so I am not worried that we conceded. It’s about how we let in the goal… that is a worrying factor,” pointed out the coach.
Constantine, who has a penchant for giving young players a chance to play, refused to speak on individual performances but said that the games like these, give them the experience. We fielded Anirudh Thapa and Nikhil Pujari in this game. Both have come up the U-23 ranks and both know what to expect,” Constantine said.
“I’ve said time and again that any player be it U-17 or U-19, if I feel he has got the potential he should be blooded. If he is good enough there is no reason why he shouldn’t be in the national senior squad. This is how you develop footballers,” added the head coach.
press trust of india