Kolkata, Oct 9 (IANS) India Head Coach Crispin Chettri backed his young side to continue their development after the new-look Indian women’s national team went down 0-4 to Russia in the first of two international friendly matches at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan.

Iana Sheina’s moment of brilliance gave the visitors the lead in the 40th minute, and substitute Kira Petukhova struck twice in the 60th and 65th minutes. Iana Svistunova completed the scoring in the 81st minute as Russia’s sustained pressure wore down the Blue Tigresses after the break.

Despite the result, Chettri was pleased with the character shown by his players during the opening stages, and stressed the importance of taking the learning forward as India build towards their long-term goals.

“I think the positive of this match is, although being a young side, we showed character. We are not scared to press; we are not scared to run. We try to do things which are in our control,” Chettri said during the post-match press conference.

Head coach also highlighted the commitment shown by the players during the team’s 25-day camp, pointing to their efforts in dealing with Russia’s physical presence and set-pieces. “The most important thing is we showed character, we didn’t give up. So that’s the best thing for me,” he added.

Chettri acknowledged that the lack of competitive football since June proved challenging, particularly against a Russian side in the middle of its league season. However, he underlined that the experience would be valuable for the young players as they continue to grow at the international level.

Looking ahead to the second friendly on October 11, Chettri revealed that the team will work on improving their ability to sustain their intensity for longer periods, while also giving more opportunities to youngsters who featured in the latter stages of the first match.

With the 2029 AFC Women’s Asian Cup next in sight, Chettri stressed that developing a wider pool of players remains central to the team’s progress. The second encounter against Russia will provide another opportunity for the emerging group to gain valuable international experience and build on the lessons from Thursday’s contest.

–IANS

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