AFC U-23 Asian Cup | Igor Stimac wary of India's chances, says 'doesn't have huge expectations'

"The next three matches (will) provide a chance to the youngsters to gain some experience and gauge where they stand against their generation of stronger sides like Oman, UAE, and Kyrgyz Republic," Stimac told IANS.

"We don't have huge expectations. We hope everyone will give their best on the pitch. That's what I am asking from the players. At this moment, it's difficult to say how we will fare against stronger sides, who are prepared more than us for this leg. But I also hope we can surprise some. We will look for our chances," he added.

"We have analysed the games which Oman played in the last tournament. We tried to explain to our players about their strengths, and how we should play but we need to see how we can execute it on the field. Every match brings forward different situations at certain stages, and then it's all about how the players can adapt and proceed," the coach said.

"We were happy with the qualifying rounds of the Asian Cup wherein we played the Asian Champions (Qatar) twice on their own ground. We just conceded one goal which shows that India is becoming strong defensively. We were organised, and disciplined. We have also qualified for the third round in the Asian Cup qualifiers, and expect to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup China 2023," he added.