India U-23 coach Stephen Constantine says they can't afford to be complacent

New Delhi: A day before India U-23 football team face Singapore U-23 in the second international friendly in a span of three days, national coach Stephen Constantine, said there is “no room for complacency”. “We will not be complacent,” he said on the eve of the match. [caption id=“attachment_3801657” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of Stephen Constantine. Image courtesy: AIFF[/caption] “In fact, we can’t afford it,” he said in reference to India’s dominant display in the first international friendly on 9 July when Germanpreet Singh goal was the difference between the two sides. The two international matches have been organised by All India Football Federation (AIFF) to help the U-23 team prepare for the forthcoming AFC U-23 Qualifiers in Doha where India have been clubbed with hosts Qatar, Syria and Turkmenistan in Group C, The tournament which kicks-off on 19 July. “I will be looking to improve on our performance as much I am sure Singapore would be looking to improve on theirs,” Constantine stated. The coach, however, wasn’t willing to agree to the tag of ‘dominant India’. “Yeah, we wasted a great deal of possession and scored from the only shot on target,” he said. As the boys sweat out in the practice at the Choa Chu Kan Stadium with the $2 million villas watching from a distance on the far side, Constantine said: “We don’t have any injury concerns.” “I am not someone to comment on my rival team but can say that Singapore have some skillful players in their squad who at times looked very good,” said Constantine, under whose guidance India have now won nine international matches on the trot (including eight with the senior team). The Indian contingent will head to Doha on 15 July once their commitments in Singapore end.