AFC U20 Asian Cup: Earning a berth is just the start, coach Gawali says

The India Under-20 squad, guided by former central defender Mahesh Gawali, gave Indian football something to cheer about when they qualified for the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup after a gap of 20 years. A commanding 3-0 win over Bangladesh in their final Group B qualifier at the Do’stlik Stadium in Tashkent earned them a ticket to the continental event, scheduled from 24 March to 10 April in 2027.

The top four finishers in the Asian Cup will qualify for the FIFA U20 World Cup 2027 but for now, Gawali’s boys must take one step at a time. India qualified as one of the seven best runners-up across all eight groups, with full points from two games (Syria and Bangladesh) placed them second in Group B standings.  Uzbekistan, who defeated Syria, qualified as the toppers with nine points.

Normally a man of few words, Gawali was proud of his boys’ achievement. “It is a great feeling. After a long time, after 20 years, we have qualified and I am very proud of the boys who worked very hard. I am proud of the coaching team which also worked very hard,” he told the AIFF media.

“And I am proud of the AIFF, who supported me and gave me what I wanted. I am also proud of the way we played and the moments we created and of the football we showed,” said the 46-year-old, a contemporary of Baichung Bhutia, Dipak Mondol & Co. The qualification for the main round comes as a relief as their senior counterparts failed to make the cut for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 in Saudi Arabia after a string of inept performances – which saw the AIFF chopping and changing coaches thrice during the campaign.

There had been a setback during their campaign in Tashkent after India opened with a 1-0 win against Syria - the 0-4 defeat to Uzbekistan on Thursday being a dampener. However, Gawali believed the team had already laid the foundations for what came next during their preparation in Bengaluru. The four friendly matches against Singapore and Yemen (three wins and one draw) gave the players enough belief and in the last five weeks, the Blue Colts have played seven games and kept six clean sheets.

The defender in Gawali must have been prouder than the coach Gawali. “Those friendlies against Singapore and Yemen were the key moments for this team,” Gawali said. “Those games helped us understand the system and gave us confidence, and I think that played a big role in helping us beat Syria and Bangladesh.”

Looking ahead, this group has something to boast about as no India U20 side has played the continental finals since 2006. “These boys are the first new generation that is going to play in the AFC U20 Asian Cup after 20 years. The qualification is also the start of a journey because now they have to prepare for the Asian Cup.

“Everybody has to take care of themselves. That is very, very important. We have to focus on the U20 Asian Cup in China. Preparation is very important. We all have to work together and support the boys so that we can do better in the Asian Cup. It will be bigger, tougher, and quite an experience for the boys,” he added.