India U-17 coach Wadoo calls for greater clinical edge ahead of Guam in AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2027 qualifier
India U-17 head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo spoke in Kuala Lumpur ahead of his side’s AFC U-17 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2027 Qualifiers match against Guam on Saturday, 14 November, 2026 at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium. He warned the team “We need to be more clinical with the chances we create” as India prepare to follow up their opening result.
The India U-17 men’s team opened their qualifiers campaign with a 4-2 triumph over Singapore after a match in which they fell behind, recovered, were pegged back and then scored twice in the final seven minutes. Dallalmuon Gangte completed a hat-trick and Ristik Maity sealed the win with an 89th-minute strike, his first-ever goal in an India shirt. “There are always areas to improve, even after a good result,” said Wadoo.
The Guam fixture will kick off at 13:00 IST and will be streamed live on the FAMTV Malaysia YouTube Channel, and it is the first-ever meeting between the two sides at the U-17 level. While India rested on Matchday 1, Guam have already played and lost two games in the Qualifiers — 0-6 to Singapore and 0-5 to Palestine. India go into the game with three points on the board.
Gangte’s three-goal haul drew explicit praise from Wadoo, who described the achievement and offered encouragement. “I am very happy for Gangte. Scoring a hat-trick at the international level is a special achievement, and he deserves credit for his performance. I hope he continues to work hard, stays humble and keeps improving,” said Wadoo.
Wadoo expressed satisfaction with the attacking output but outlined specific areas the squad must address. “Scoring four goals is always encouraging, and I am happy with our attacking performance. Even when Singapore came back to level the score, our players remained composed and created chances. However, we need to understand that every game brings a different challenge,” said Wadoo.
He set out defensive and decision-making priorities for the team ahead of Guam. “I would like to see more consistency in our defensive organisation and better concentration throughout the 90 minutes. We also need to manage important moments of the game better, especially when we are leading. We need to be more clinical with the chances we create and make better decisions in the final third. At this level, getting the small details right can make a big difference,” he said.
Wadoo also stressed respect for the opposition and an inward tactical focus during preparations. “We respect Guam as an opponent and are preparing for them with the same seriousness as we did for Singapore. At this level, every match presents its own challenges, and we cannot afford to underestimate any opponent,” Wadoo said. “Our focus will be on our own strengths, maintaining our intensity, controlling the game and executing our tactical plans effectively,” he said.
With three points already secured, India face Guam on Saturday, 14 November, 2026, before taking on Palestine on November 17 and hosts Malaysia on November 20 in their remaining Group E fixtures.