'Have to improve in every game,' says India U20 head coach Mahesh Gawali ahead of Uzbekistan clash in AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers
Blue Colts defeated Syria in their first match
The India U20 men’s team will look to build on their winning start to the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027 Qualifiers when they face hosts Uzbekistan in a crucial Group B encounter at the Do’stlik Stadium in Tashkent on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at 19:30 IST.
The Blue Colts began their campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Syria on Monday, with Shami Singamayum scoring the decisive goal in the 86th minute.
Uzbekistan, meanwhile, made an equally positive start, defeating Bangladesh 2-0 in their opening game. The hosts produced a dominant performance to take all three points and currently sit at the top of Group B, with India second on goal difference.
With only the group winners and the seven best runners-up across the eight groups advancing to the AFC U20 Asian Cup, every point carries significant weight. Due to Group A containing only three teams, the results against the bottom-placed team in each group will not be considered when comparing the runners-up, adding further importance to the contests between the top three sides.
India U20 aim for a crucial win against the hosts
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India could potentially seal qualification on Thursday. A victory for the Blue Colts over Uzbekistan, combined with Bangladesh failing to beat Syria in the earlier Group B fixture, would guarantee India top spot in the group and secure their place at the AFC U20 Asian Cup China 2027.
However, head coach Mahesh Gawali is keen to keep the focus firmly on the next challenge rather than look too far ahead.
“The first match was important, and it is good to start with a win. The first half was tough, but we defended well. We had some chances, and we utilised them and scored the goal to win the match. We have another difficult match coming, so we have to stay focused and continue the good momentum,”
The Blue Colts have had little time to dwell on their opening victory. Following the Syria match, the squad returned to training on Tuesday evening, with the players who started against Syria undergoing a lighter recovery session, while the rest of the squad completed a full training session.
India then held their official match-eve training session on Wednesday evening, with both sessions scheduled around the same time as Thursday’s kick-off to allow the team to continue acclimatising to the evening conditions in Tashkent. Monday’s match against Syria was in much warmer temperatures at four in the afternoon.
The challenge will be considerably different against an Uzbekistan side that impressed in their opening fixture. Gawali is fully aware of the quality the hosts possess.
“Uzbekistan are a very good team. They are very sharp and clever. Their transitions, both in attack and defence, are very sharp. They have a lot of quality in the team. Yes, it will be a difficult match for us, but we have to focus on our game plan. We have to be organised, follow our plan and give our best.”
“We have to improve in every game”: Mahesh Gawali
The fixture also presents India with an opportunity to overcome a difficult historical record against Uzbekistan at this level.
The two sides have met four times in competitive fixtures previously at this age group, with India losing all four encounters — 1-2 in the 2004 AFC Youth Championship group stage, 1-2 in the 2012 AFC U19 Championship qualifiers, 0-3 in the 2014 qualifiers and 0-2 in the 2020 qualifiers.
The Blue Colts, though, will take confidence from the manner in which they dealt with Syria. Despite spending long periods without possession, India remained compact and disciplined, with goalkeeper Suraj Singh Aheibam producing several important saves before Shami’s late strike settled the contest.
Gawali said there is still plenty to improve despite the positive opening result. “There are always things we can improve. Against Syria, we defended well and showed good character. We have to improve in every game. The mentality is the same.”
When will India U20 face Uzbekistan U20?
India U20 will face Uzbekistan U20 on Thursday, September 3, 2026. The match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST.
How did India U20 start their AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers?
India began their campaign with a 1-0 win over Syria, with Shami Singamayum scoring the winning goal in the 86th minute.
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