New Delhi [India], October 6 : Indian national team duo Lallianzuala Chhangte and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu spoke about their preparations and shared their thoughts ahead of India's crucial double-header against Singapore in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round.
The Blue Tigers are currently preparing under head coach Khalid Jamil in Bengaluru before facing Singapore away on October 9, followed by the return leg at home in Goa on October 14. Jamil's men currently find themselves at the bottom of Group C with one point from two matches, while Singapore leads the standings with four points from as many games, as reported by the Indian Super League (ISL) official website.
Amid the rising intensity ahead of these decisive fixtures, Chhangte underlined the significance of the double-header, and acknowledged the opposition's strengths. The forward also remains optimistic that the team will give their all on the pitch to seize the opportunity to secure positive results in the upcoming matches.
"Singapore are a good side, and have shown in the past that they can be competitive. But we are focused on our own game," Chhangte said to aiff.com as quoted by the ISL official website.
"Everyone knows what is at stake, and the approach and mindset that we need in these matches," he continued. "We all want to make the country proud and show that we deserve to be in the Asian Cup," he added.
The Mumbai City FC captain shed light on the squad's overall mood and the training sessions under Jamil, saying, "The training intensity has been high since day one. Everyone is focused and is spending their time to understand the structure and plans that the coach has laid out for us."
Like Chhangte, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu lauded Singapore's recent performances and expected a tightly contested encounter in the upcoming qualifier.
The experienced goalkeeper, having made his return to the national setup during the CAFA Nations Cup, remains resolute in his aim to guide India to vital victories that could revive their qualification hopes and secure a historic third consecutive appearance in the continental competition.
"Singapore are a good team who have only improved since we last played them. They have effective players who can change the game. It was a close game the last time we played them. We respect them, but we want to make sure we, as a team, step onto the pitch with only one goal - to win at all costs," Sandhu said as quoted by the ISL official website.
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