Keep your Olympic dream burning, Dennerby tells his girls despite Japan jolt

TASHKENT, UZBEKISTAN: Japan seven, India nil. Calling it a difficult day for the Indian women’s team would be an understatement. But there’s no embarrassment at all in losing to a world-class opponent like Japan. A team who put four past eventual champions Spain in the World Cup was always going to be the mother of all challenges for the Blue Tigresses.
“We knew already before the game that we were going to play one of the best teams in the world. And honestly, I’m quite impressed with Japan and the individual skills of their players. It’s lovely to see them playing football, the moving, the passing, the touches, everything. It’s a super good team,” said India head coach Thomas Dennerby after the match.
At half-time, it was only 0-1. India, very much in the game. Lining up with a back three of Ritu Rani, Ashalata Devi and Sweety Devi, India thwarted countless Japanese attacks, frustrating the 8th-ranked side. “I think in the first half we could keep our team shape very well, and we defended with our hearts and fought very, very hard. We couldn’t create so much, but the defending game was definitely good,” shared the Swede.
The problems started right at the start of the second half. It turned out that Japan needed that 15-minute breather more than India. And when Yoshino Nakashima scored her and Japan’s second less than a minute after the restart, the floodgates opened. Three more goals in the next 10 minutes, and the brave Indian backline of the first half was rendered into a hapless one.
“When we came to the second half, we gave away the ball just outside our own penalty box. And after 0-2 already in the first minute of the second half, the team morale dropped a little bit,” explained Dennerby.
“We couldn’t keep the team shape, and if you can’t do that and give the Japanese players half a metre extra, they are so skilled to utilise that. And they did.”
The concern for Dennerby, wasn’t conceding goals. It was the manner in which his side did. “The only thing I couldn’t live with is that we gave away the ball just outside our own box. One of the things when you play a team like Japan is that you need to have discipline. You need to play a proper pass outside your own box. You don’t go backwards and give the ball away.”
By the time the Blue Tigresses managed to compose themselves, it was already five. There was no other choice but to go into damage limitation mode. Perhaps had India held the fort for longer at the start of the second half, the story could’ve been different. “After 0-2, of course, it’s uphill. You lose a little bit of focus and get tired. But I’m not only talking about the fitness level. Mental fatigue is also there. Then it’s tough,” said Dennerby.
Enough about the issues. Every defeat hurts, but there’s no game where you don’t learn something. India’s entries in the Japanese half were limited, but players like Anju Tamang and substitute Soumya Guguloth tried their best to stretch the play and cause whatever trouble they could. The chance at death, which was shot over by Tamang, was the closest India came to a consolation goal. “If we had been a little bit lucky, we could have scored in the end and gotten a goal against Japan. That would have been nice for India. It would have been fun to score to boost the team spirit and morale,” wished Dennerby.
The player who impressed the coach the most was centre-back Ritu Rani. “I’m proud because no one was giving up the game. I would say that Ritu Rani played her super game today. She was fighting so hard in the defending line, and it was really fun to see her,” he praised.
But India’s Olympic dream is still alive. Next up, Vietnam and then Uzbekistan—two teams Dennerby feels India are on more equal footing with. Six points will give his girls a chance to qualify for the next round as the best runners-up.
“We are now looking forward to it. The two most important games for us are coming up. Vietnam and Uzbekistan. Hopefully, this game helps us reach a higher tempo so that we can handle the next two games. It’s more important for us to win against them. But of course, it’s going to be two really tough games. We have been watching videos of our opponents, so we know a lot about them.”
India will face Vietnam on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Tashkent at 15:30 IST.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest happenings in the world of Indian Football.
Hashu Advani Centennial Cup / Local Football
Union Bank of India clinch Inaugural Hashu Advani Centennial Cup 2025
Union Bank of India defeated Kalina Rangers in the final to clinch the inaugural edition of Hashu Advani Centennial Cup 2025
Mumbai Super League: Mumbai Ultras & Waves FC secure crucial wins to shake up the standings
On Day 2 of the Mumbai Super League final round, Mumbai Ultras and Waves FC picked up vital victories against Brothers WA and Mumbai Soccer Prodigies (MSP), respectively, setting the…
MFA / MFA Elite Premier League
Mumbai Premier League: Mohd. Khatib’s late equalizer rescues a Point for MH Oranje FC against Mumbay FC
MH Oranje FC salvaged a dramatic late equalizer in the dying seconds of added time as Mohd. Khatib’s strike deep into the injury time denied Mumbay FC all three points…
South United FC announces Trials for their Residential Academy
South United Football Club (SUFC) announces the upcoming trials for its new Residential Academy, which will be held at the Club’s Ulsoor facility in Bengaluru.
FC Goa break 13-game-long winless run against Mumbai City FC with 3-1 victory
FC Goa defeated Mumbai City FC by 3-1 at the Mumbai Football Arena in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 to break their 13-game-long winless run against the Islanders in…
Reliance Foundation Young Champs crowned regional champions with 6-1 win over Brothers Sports Association
Reliance Foundation Young Champs grabbed an impressive 6-1 win over Brothers Sports Association in the regional final of Dream Sports Championship’s Mumbai leg at the Cooperage Football Stadium on Friday….
Mumbai Super League-Final Round: Nihal Colaco Steals the Show with a Hat-Trick for MSP while Waves & Brothers Drew
The Mumbai Super League Final Round got underway with contrasting results in both fixtures. Nihal Colaco’s second half hat-Trick helps MSP with 3-0 win while Waves & Brothers settle for a draw
Corporate Football / MFA Elite Corporate League / Trials
Bank of India announces open trial for Mumbai Corporate League Campaign
Bank of India is set to make its mark in the Mumbai Corporate League and is looking for exceptional football talent to bolster its squad. The trial is scheduled for…
India Khelo Football Workshop returns to Mumbai for its 4th Season
The Indian Khelo Football (IKF) Workshop returns to Mumbai this September, bringing with it an exceptional platform for aspiring footballers to showcase their skills and seize opportunities that could transform…
MFA / Mumbai Super League / Trials
Somaiya FC announces trials for the upcoming 2024-25 Season
Somaiya FC, having secured a commendable 5th position in the MFA Super Division last season, has announced open trials as they gear up for upcoming season. The team, known for…
VR Academy to conduct trials for 2024-25 Season
Mumbai based VR Academy has announced trials for the upcoming 2024-25 season. The club is looking for talented young players to join our esteemed academy and participate in various competitive…
MH ORANJE FC U-17 Trials for the Upcoming Season
With a proud legacy of nurturing talent and achieving excellence, Maharashtra Oranje FC has recently made waves with appearances in I-League 2, securing a remarkable runner-up position in the fiercely…
Football School of India announce trials for Young Talents
Football School of India (FSI) has announced trials for young football enthusiasts in the upcoming week of June. A golden opportunity for aspiring players to showcase their talents and potentially…
Mumbai Super League club Charkop FC to conduct open trials for upcoming Season
Calling all aspiring football stars! Charkop FC, a MFA super division club based in Charkop, Kandivali, is set to conduct Open Trials for the upcoming season. About Charkop FC: In…
Academy / Football Academy / Trials
Mumbai 42 Football Academy to conduct trials for Youth players
Newly established Mumbai 42 Football Academy will be conducting trials for young footballers in the upcoming week.
SSE BFC to conduct trials for U9 to U17 age group players
SSE BFC Soccer School will be conducting fresh trials this month for players aged below 17 to be part of their football program SSE BFC Soccer Schools is a football…
India Khelo Football Season 3 Trials for Mumbai and Thane are here
India Khelo Football (IKF) is back with Season 3 of its widely acclaimed trials with an aim to cover more than 50 cities this time around. After the resounding success…