With the countdown to India’s much-awaited clash against Brazil continuing, the Indian team is using every training session to sharpen their preparations for what promises to be a demanding international test. For forward Rahim Ali, the focus is on carrying forward the positives from the team’s recent performance against Panama while maintaining the same intensity and discipline.
India held 44th-ranked Panama to a 1-1 draw in Bengaluru in their previous outing, putting together a determined performance against a much higher-ranked opponent. Rahim believes the display has given the players confidence, while also underlining the need to maintain consistency.
“Our performance against Panama was very good. The way the boys took on the workload individually was great for the players. We need to maintain this level of performance match by match. We are following the instructions and feedback provided by our coach, and we have to keep moving forward in the same way,” said Rahim.
The upcoming encounter against five-time FIFA World Cup champions Brazil presents an altogether different challenge, but Rahim feels the Indian players must approach it with belief and commitment.
“It is an extremely important match for us. We are playing against such a big team, a five-time World Champion. It will be a very tough match, but once we step onto the field, it’s an 11-versus11 game. Everyone will have to give their 200%,” he said.
The extended training camp has also allowed the team more time to work on its structure and combinations. Rahim feels the two-to-three-week camp has been particularly useful in helping the players understand the coach’s plans and prepare for the intensity required at this level.
Having featured at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2017, Rahim is now preparing to take on the senior Brazil side. “Our coach told us in training that the intensity needs to be kept very high. When playing against such a big team, if we lose concentration or focus even a little, they will punish us,” he said.
