Vientiane
India’s U20 men’s football coach, Ranjan Chaudhuri, has appointed defender Thomas K Cherian as the team captain ahead of their AFC U20 Asian Cup 2025 qualifiers match against Mongolia. The game will take place at the Lao National Stadium KM16 on Wednesday, marking India’s first Group G match.
To secure a spot in the tournament in China, the top team from each group, along with the five best second-placed teams from 10 groups, will advance.
During the pre-tournament press conference, Chaudhuri expressed confidence in the team’s preparations. ‘We’ve worked hard for three months, and the boys are ready. Our goal is to qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup, which will be a major step for Indian football,’ he stated.
Facing Mongolia in the opener, Chaudhuri emphasized the importance of starting strong and securing three points. ‘Mongolia is a tough side, but we are focused and ready,’ he added.
Cherian embraced his new role as captain, saying, ‘The team has trained well, and we’re mentally prepared to perform with a positive attitude.’
Mongolia’s coach, Anar Batchuluun, shared that while his team is adjusting to natural turf, they are ready for the challenge.
