XtraTime Web Desk: In preparation for the 2018 AFC U16 Championship in Malayasia, Bibiano Fernandes’ Indian U16 team is all set to play a tri-nation tournament, the Istanbul Cup 2018. The team recently finished as the runner-up in the 2018 WAFF U16 Championship against Japan.
The team is scheduled to play against the U16 team of the host Turkey, along with Oman U16. The India U16 team has played 19 international matches since January 2018, including the likes of USA, Norway, Japan, Serbia, Iraq, DPR Korea, China (U17), Thailand and Jordan.
“With us playing Oman in Turkey, the boys would now have played 9 of the qualified 16 teams (including India) for the AFC U16 Championship. The quality of matches we played during the exposure tours will help the coach and the players in the long run as these are the countries which we will be playing often at the Asian level,” said National Team Director Abhishek Yadav in a media release by the AIFF.
“We at AIFF believe this is good preparation before the AFC Championship. The exposure tours have helped the Coach and the players to gauge the standard and what to expect in the Championship,” he added.
India U16 head coach Bibiano Fernandes said, “We look forward to playing against Turkey who have played the FIFA U17 World Cup a few times including the last edition in India in 2017. Furthermore, as Oman are part of the AFC U16 Finals in Malaysia, nothing could be more appropriate build-up for us.”