AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: Losing ground on home soil, AIFF XI now must record a win on the road to stay in the hunt for a semifinal berth and their best chance could come against wooden-spooners Home United when the two sides meet in Singapore in the Asia Champions Trophy on Saturday (June 14, 2014).

The hosts on Saturday are yet to open their account and have been in poor form shipping 16 goals from four matches so far. The visitors on the other hand – though not in the best of form managing just one point from four matches – have shown glimpses of getting back to their ‘rhythm’ which Head Coach Goutam Ghosh has been stressing on.

Albeit a 3-6 loss at the hands of group leaders Harimau Muda U-16, the boys played much better than what the scoreline pushing their dominant opponents to the brink every time they took the lead till halftime.

But the Kalyani Regional Academy boys who form the core of the India U-16 National Team will have to do much better in order to have any chance to qualify for the semifinals and the road will be stiffer considering they have four away games now to only two at home.

In Home United they can bank on a series of two wins – one away followed by a home game on May – which if achieved will do their confidence a world of good. But the Singaporean outfit cannot be taken lightly in their own lair. They have lost two at home and two away but any thought of the team being pushovers should not be entertained.

The hosts, after a string of three poor performances have picked themselves up with a fighting 1-2 reversal in their last game against Timor Leste U-16 National Team. At home and looking for redemption, Home United will also look to get the better of AIFF XI in their quest to climb the ladder.