India game will be difficult, asserts Uzbekistan boss Srecko Katanec

Srecko Katanec also spoke about India’s brand of football.

Team Uzbekistan are scheduled to compete against India in their upcoming match in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup on the 18th of January. The match will take place at Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium in Doha. 

Their initial encounter with Syria concluded in a draw, with no goals scored by either side. Meanwhile, India suffered a defeat in their inaugural match against Australia.

Ahead of the forthcoming match against India, Uzbekistan’s head coach, Srecko Katanec, and player Otabek Shukurov, participated in the pre-match press conference. They shared valuable insights concerning their preparations for the game and highlighted key factors that require consideration during the match.

Approach towards the game

Coach Srecko Katanec expressed his appreciation for the playing style of the Indian team. He also emphasized their approach to the match, noting that it would contribute to achieving a better result.

“Tomorrow’s game will be completely different. India play a very organized and aggressive brand of football. We have to work hard to find the spaces. It will be a difficult game for us but we have to be patient in those 90 minutes to find our chance”, Katanec said.

Chances of qualifying from the group stage

After settling for a draw in the first match, Uzbekistan have to look for a win in their next game to find a place in the knockout stages. 

“Yes we couldn’t win the first game, but it’s good that we didn’t lose the game also. The Syrian defense was also very organized because they have a good coach who also worked with us before,” Otabek Shukurov said in a statement about their first match.

“Still, we have a good chance of qualifying for the next round. I think we will get some good results in the upcoming games,” the midfielder added. 

Is Uzbekistan under pressure?

When asked whether the Uzbekistan team is under pressure to get a positive result in the game against India, coach Srecko Katanec claimed, “We are not under pressure. We just have to be positive. It’s just another game for us in the tournament. And it’s up to the players how they perform in the game.”

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