After defeating Oman in the opening fixture of AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2022, Indian goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh has admitted that it was a 'nice feeling' to start the tournament with a win but cautioned the team to not get carried away with that.
India U-23 team defeated Oman 2-1 in their opening fixture of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2022 Qualifiers at the Fujairah Stadium in Dubai, UAE on Sunday.
"Our back four were in solid form. They were strong, winning tackles, winning aerial balls. They made my job easier. But we conceded in the last five minutes, and we need to bring in the extra concentration as the game progresses. It's a big lesson we learned from the last game," said Dheeraj in an official AIFF release.
"It's a nice feeling to start our campaign with a win. But we shouldn't get carried away. We will make sure we stay humble and control our emotions as we prepare for the next one. And we know it's going to be a very tough one against UAE," he added.
Talking about the team's bonding, Dheeraj said, "We are getting together after four years. 70-80 per cent of the players in this batch are from the U17 World Cup squad. We grew up together living in the same dormitory, and hotel. So we have a good understanding, and know each other personally."
Following the win, India joins the Kyrgyz Republic at the top of Group E with equal points and an identical goal difference. India is scheduled to face hosts UAE at the same venue on Wednesday in their next fixture.
( With inputs from ANI )
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