Tashkent:India U-16 football team coach Bibiano Fernandes on Thursday said avoiding complacency will be key for the team when they take on Bahrain in their second match of the ongoing AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers here at the Transportation Institute Stadium on Friday.
The U-16 side made short work of Turkmenistan 5-0 in the opening day of the qualifiers, and courtesy the result they are on an unbeaten run of 12 matches, a fact that Head Coach Bibiano Fernandes is extremely cautious of.
"There is a very fine line between confidence and complacency. Yes, we have won 12 matches in a row, but we also need to be careful that we do not get complacent, especially at this stage," Fernandes warned.
While he is happy about the India's "winning habit" Bibiano feels that it is now time to work hard and push through the group stage.
"Right now, we have to put our heads down, keep working hard, and push through the group to ensure qualification for the AFC U-16 Championship next year."
Currently, as it stands, India are on top of the group with three points, and are ahead of hosts Uzbekistan by virtue of goal difference. While Bahrain lost to the hosts 1-3 in their opening game, Bibiano feels that the middle eastern side is one that has the capability of making late comebacks, which is why the Blue colts would need to be on their guard.(UNI)