Stimac admits scoring goals is 'big problem' for current Indian football team

Indian football team head coach Igor Stimac feels scoring goals has been a "big problem" and his side will have to fix it quickly for the country to start winning matches.

After an encouraging start to their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign, India fizzled out later, drawing with the likes of Bangladesh and Afghanistan to be out of reckoning for a third round berth.

The Indian team has been competitive in all five games thus far, and picked up an unlikely draw away to Asian champions Qatar, but a lack of cutting edge has proved costly.

"Scoring goals is our big problem right now. We are playing some good football, and the effort is there, but we don't have that final touch in and around the box. We need to find solutions to that," Stimac was quoted as saying by the official website of world governing body FIFA.

"We are working on it, through set-pieces and other methods. We have also been changing the team's style of play, with fewer long balls, and I'm seeing real progress there -- the stats show our ball retention is already much better."
"It will be a pity (for India) to miss out on Qatar in 2022 because I think it will be the most fascinating World Cup ever. I coached in Qatar for a while and I've been back to visit since stopping work there. It's an incredible country and the people there will make the World Cup a huge success. I know there have been doubts but, honestly, it's going to be amazing."