The day of reckoning is here for the Indian women's football team.
When Thomas Dennerby's women take the field at Wenzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium in Hangzhou, it will be their last chance to make up for missing out on almost a decade of competing at
Asian Games.
Having lost their opening match against a higher-ranked Chinese Taipei, the Indians cannot afford another unfavourable result against another higher-ranked team in Thailand.
However, the 2-1 scoreline in the opener does not tell the complete story of the day which saw India take the lead early in the second half, courtesy Anju Tamang, who was the most creative and hard working for India.
"Our players did really well against Chinese Taipei, and were stable in their respective positions. What really changed the game was the equaliser. After that, the players got a little nervous, which is something we need to work on," Dennerby said on Saturday. "We need to stand strong against Thailand, even if things don't go in our favour."
With anything short of a win having the potential to eliminate the 61st-ranked Indians from the continental games, everyone that Dennerby chooses to be on the field will need to bring their best to the Group B encounter.
Manisha Kalyan, who troubled the Chinese Taipei defence from early on with her speed and incisive runs, will be important for the Ashalata Devi-led side against Thailand. However, she showed signs of cramp before being substituted later on and her recovery on time will be essential to the team's cause.
Dennerby could also consider starting Jyoti Chauhan unlike in the last game where she was brought on later in place of the veteran Bala Devi, who could not bring her scoring touch and was largely invisible in the opening tie.
Ashalata and Sweety Devi were shapely and steady in defence and will need to continue the good work they did for most of the match. But the key to India's fortune on Sunday could be decided by the midfield creativity of Indumathi Kathiresan and her communication with her attacking teammates.
And as the Swede head coach described it, "We have seen a few of Thailand's recent games, and they are a good side. But they are on a level that we can also match, provided our team put in a good day's work on the pitch."
India will hope for Sunday to be that good day.
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