Indian girls all set to defend SAFF title

KOLKATA: At a time when the national football team, led by Sunil Chhetri, is hogging all the limelight at the ongoing Nehru Cup in New Delhi, their women counterparts have been training quietly at the SAI Complex. The 30-member women's squad has been training intensely since mid-July to prepare themselves for the upcoming SAFF Championship, which will kick off in Colombo on September 7.
For the record, India won the inaugural edition of the tournament hosted by Bangladesh in 2010.
Coach Mohammad Shahid Jabbar sounded confident about the chances of his team, which is currently ranked 52nd in the world. "We have put in a lot of effort and I am sure the girls will live up to the expectations in Sri Lanka. It's an energetic bunch. It will be a tough task to select the final 20 for the tournament," said Jabbar.
Indian women had dominated the inaugural edition, scoring 41 goals and conceding just one. Jabbar is looking for a similar performance this time as well. India have been placed in Group A along with Bangladesh, Bhutan and hosts Sri Lanka. The other group comprises Pakistan, Afghanistan Nepal and the Maldives.