Korea game will be most challenging 90 minutes for my players: India U-16 coach

India coach Bibiano Fernandes said Saturday the AFC U-16 Championship quarterfinal against South Korea will be the most challenging 90 minutes of his players' careers, overcoming which, will give them a ticket to the U-17 World Cup.

Having qualified for the knockouts for the first time since 2002, India have drawn the mighty Koreans, already dubbed overwhelming favourites by Bibiano.

"Korea Republic are one of the teams touted to win the AFC U-16 Championship and the match against them will be the most challenging ninety minutes that any one of us has ever faced. Korea Republic are the overwhelming favourites," Bibiano said two days ahead of the match.

"They are tactically agile and have swift players in almost all positions who are capable of catching the opponent defence off guard.

"However, we were underestimated in our 1-0 win over Iraq in the Four-Nation Tournament and we were underestimated in the group stages of the AFC U-16 Championship. But here we are, we will give everything that we have in the match against Korea Republic."
"We are raring to go. It would not be easy but it would be worth it. If we play to our strengths, we can give them a run for their money. We will fight."
"All of those matches are past and we are working on our finishing in the training sessions. Going ahead we cannot afford to be complacent in front of goal in the knockout matches. That will hurt us very badly."
"Most significantly, we got out of the group stage ahead of Iran and that in itself is a huge motivation for us."