BHUBANESWAR 23-Aug-2014 91
A 22-member India women’s football squad has been named National team head coach Tarun Roy for an exposure tour to China ahead of the Incheon Asian Games next month. They are defender Suprava Samal, mid-fielder Supriya Routray and forward Sasmita Mallik
The initial list of 31 players has been trimmed down to 22 who would be travelling to China for the 15-day exposure tour from August 25 till September 9. They will move to Incheon directly from China.
The twice SAFF champions are expected to play three practice matches against top teams of the Chinese Women’s Super League, Jiangsu Huatai and Shanghai SVT. The teams are currently placed second and third respectively in the League table. Either of the two teams will play India twice.
The probable dates of the three matches are August 29, October 2/3 and October 5/6.
India are in Group A along with last Games’ bronze medalists South Korea, Thailand and Maldives. Three teams from groups of four and two for the three team group will advance to the quarter finals of the 17th Games. India women last played in the Games back in 1998 where they failed to qualify from their group. This will be only their second appearance.
INDIAN SQUAD:
Goalkeepers: Okram Roshni Devi, Aditi Chauhan, Pushpa Tirkey
Defenders: Ashem Romi Devi, Ashalata Devi, Tuli Goon, Radharani Devi, Suprava Samal, Upamati Devi
Mid-fielders: Premi Devi, Amoolya Kamal, Mandakini Devi, Oinam Bembem Devi, Kamala Devi, Supriya Routray, Indumati Kathiresan
Forwards: Sasmita Malik, Prameshwori Devi, Dangmei Grace, Bala Devi, Jyoti Ann Burrett, Salam Rinaroy Devi.
