India positive for Asiad despite AFC Challenge Cup elimination

Defending champions India have been eliminated from the AFC Challenge Cup, but coach Sukhvinder Singh believes that the U-23 squad will be better for the experience.

Speaking to the-AFC.com, Singh said, "The experience this young squad has gained here is invaluable and I know this will help them hugely at the Asian Games."

"What they learned at this tournament will do them good later this year. The different styles we faced here will help us to prepare for the Asian Games where we will come up against teams such as the ones we played against in Colombo.

"The boys now will know what to expect. It won't be anything new to them and this experience is invaluable.

"We lost here, but in the long run we will benefit.

Singh then went on to analyse the tournament in greater detail, continuing, "This is a young team and for the last game, we were missing five or six regulars through injury."

"We didn't have our regular backs as well as our centre-halves. We had a midfielder playing in defence and this cost us.

"I thought they played well in the opening two games and created chances. But we were badly affected by injury and the conditions here (hot and humid) plus a tough schedule.

"But this is all part of the learning process and will do this young squad a world of good as they look forward to November's Asian Games in Guangzhou."