 "Asian Games 2023: Away from limelight, Pyari Xaxa and Indian women's football team look to make a mark")
As is often the case, the whole narrative in Indian football, leading up to the Asian Games, was centred around the men’s team and their coach Igor Stimac. It left the Indian women’s football team once again on the fringes. This despite the fact that the women’s team is ranked No. 11 in Asia and 61 in FIFA rankings, a lot better than the men’s team who are 18th in Asia and 99th in the world. Staying in the background, the women’s team has quietly made its way to Wenzhou where they will be opening their Group B campaign against Asia No. 6 Chinese Taipei on 21 September before taking on No. 8 Thailand on 24 September.
Off to China 🇨🇳 ✈️
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 17, 2023
The Indian Women's Team are on their way to the #19thAsianGames 🏅#BlueTigresses 🐯 #ShePower 👧 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/8wYKQBcR4q
While the media coverage and promotion from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has been almost negligible, India women’s football team forward Pyari Xaxa has no complaints. In fact, the team and her focus is only on giving a good account of themselves at the Asian Games. “We don’t want to do comparisons between the men’s and women’s teams,” Pyari told Firstpost. “When we do well as a women’s team, fans will follow our team as well. Our focus is on ourselves, on keeping ourselves ready for the upcoming challenge. We need to train hard and stay fit physically and mentally. The focus is on the Asian Games and the tough qualifiers after that.” After a tough group stage at the Asiad, India will be up against some of the best sides in Asia in round two of AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers where they will face Japan (world No 8 and Asia No 1), Vietnam (world No 34 and Asia No 5), and hosts Uzbekistan (world No 50 and Asia No 9) in its Group C fixtures. Away from the limelight and short on competitive games, the Blue Tigresses had held camp at the Odisha Football Academy in Bhubaneswar since 30 July to prepare for some of their toughest games. Their last international match was in April and in total, they have played just seven matches in 2023. The Indian Women’s League (IWL) 2022-23 got over in May while the Senior Women’s National Football Championship was played from March to June. “We had a very high level training programme in Bhubaneswar that included gym sessions in the morning and practice in the evening. We feel that we have had a good preparation for the Asian Games,” Xaxa, who is also known as ‘Ferrari’ due to her blistering pace, said. In the camp was also women’s team coach Thomas Dennerby who coached Sweden to third place at the 2011 World Cup and led Nigeria to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Round of 16 in 2019. Dennerby’s contract with the team ended on 31 March this year and the AIFF technical committee later recommended Gokulam Kerala FC’s Anthony Andrews for the post, but the federation re-appointed Dennerby in July on popular demand. “Every coach has their own style and they all are good, but Thomas sir is my favourite,” shared Pyari. Xaxa, who scored the famous goal against the USA Under-23 side last year, however, is set to face a stiff challenge from legendary Ngangom Bala Devi who Dennerby has recalled to the side. Bala Devi, who is India’s highest goalscorer with 52 goals and the first Indian woman to play professional football in a top-flight European league with Rangers FC, returns to the national side after a four year gap during which she struggled with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Injury.
A special goal for Pyari Xaxa 🇮🇳 against 🇺🇸 🤩#BackTheBlue 💙 #ShePower 👧 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/1B1TAtNCEW
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 27, 2022
Apart from Bala, Xaxa also faces competition from Jyoti Chouhan and Manisha Kalyan, both forwards who play their club football in Europe and have been at the front of charting new territories for Indian women footballers.
Manisha Kalyan (21) in 2023 so far:
— Sevens Tigress (@sevenstigress) September 16, 2023
🏆 Cyprus Women's League
🏆 Cyprus Women's Cup
🏆 Cyprus Super Cup
🌟 PASP Team of the Season Award
🌟 AIFF Player of the Season Award
🌍 First Indian to debut in UWCLQ
🅰️ First Indian to assist in UWCLQ
⚽ First Indian to score in UWCLQ
🔥 pic.twitter.com/TP3tfnhZY4
The intense competition for places should only benefit India as they embark on a tough two-month journey. “Bala Di is my idol. Since my childhood, I have followed her and always wanted to get into the Indian team to play with her. I am very lucky Bala Di is back and I will have an opportunity to play with her,” Pyari said. “Doesn’t matter who we face, we have confidence in ourselves The aim will be to play high intensity football in each game and we can be competitive against any team,” the 2015 AIFF Emerging Woman Footballer of the Year signed off. 17 teams are part of the women’s football competition at the Asian Games 2023 and have been divided into five groups. Groups A, B and C have three teams each, while Groups D and E have four teams. The winners of the five groups and three best second-placed teams will qualify for the quarter-finals. Indian women’s football squad for Asian Games: Goalkeepers: Shreya Hooda, Sowmiya Narayanasamy, Panthoi Chanu. Defenders: Ashalata Devi, Sweety Devi, Ritu Rani, Dalima Chhibber, Astam Oraon, Sanju, Ranjana Chanu. Midfielders: Sangita Basfore, Priyangka Devi, Indumathi Kathiresan, Anju Tamang, Soumya Guguloth, Dangmei Grace. Forwards: Pyari Xaxa, Jyoti Chouhan, Renu, Bala Devi, Manisha Kalyan, Sandhiya Ranganathan. Head coach: Thomas Dennerby Fixtures: 21 September: India vs Chinese Taipei at 5 PM IST 24 September: India vs Thailand at 1:30 PM IST
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