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The India men's national team will kick off their Intercontinental Cup 2023 campaign with a first-ever clash against Mongolia on Friday, June 9.
Ahead of the opening game, head coach Igor Stimac stressed that the Blue Tigers are adamant to lift the trophy once again.
During the pre-match press conference on Thursday, June 8, the Croatian tactician said:
"We're expecting to win the tournament, and that's why we're here. We'll do everything possible to make that happen."
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With just a little over seven months left for the AFC Asian Cup, all eyes in the Indian camp are transfixed on the marquee continental competition.
Although most of the Intercontinental Cup opponents are ranked significantly lower than India, Stimac underlined the encounters will count for his team's preparations.
"Although our opponents (in the Intercontinental Cup) are not as tough as the teams we'll face in the Asian Cup, they're still good and competitive," Stimac said.
"Mongolia are a very aggressive side with a lot of young players in midfield and upfront. They press high press and play counter-attacking football. Even though they may find it difficult to adapt to the warm weather here, their players are arriving in competitive form as the Mongolian league is going on at the moment," he added.
Just days after the conclusion of the Intercontinental Cup, India will start their next assignment in the form of the SAFF Championship, which begins on June 21 in Bengaluru. With nine possible matches to play in less than a month, the fitness levels of the squad will be tested to the limit.
"Each game will be a challenge for us. We've had enough time for preparation. We need to be physically ready for these games and take everything into our hands. Our players are here to prove that they deserve their place in the National Team," Stimac stated.
"Strange that we've never played in Bhubaneswar" - Sunil Chhetri thrilled to play in Odisha
India will be playing their maiden match in Odisha and skipper Sunil Chhetri, who was also present at the press conference, was elated to play at the Kalinga Stadium.
The 38-year-old striker was also quick to laud the hospitality the Blue Tigers had received from the state federation.
"Me and the boys are very excited. It's strange that we've never played in Bhubaneswar or anywhere in Odisha before in my career, so we're really happy to be here. Everything from our hospitality to training pitches has been top-notch, and we've made good use of the three weeks here. Hopefully, we don't have just three games here but four (including the final)," the national team captain said.
The opening clash between India and Mongolia will be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar at 19:30 IST. The match will be broadcast and streamed live on Star Sports 2, Disney+ Hotstar, and Jio TV.
