Bengaluru: Senior Indian goalkeeper Subrata Paul stressed that India will stay focussed and play with “passion” when they take on Iran in a World Cup qualifier at the Kanteerava Stadium on September 8 (Tuesday).

“We will play as a team. Football is all about attacking as a team and it’s also all about defending as a team,” he said while speaking during a media interaction prior to India’s practice session on Saturday evening.

“In football, anything is possible and any team possesses the power to upset their opponents on any given day,” Paul maintained.

“We can guarantee our fans that we will play and give our hundred per cent on the pitch. We will fight for every inch and for every ball,” Paul who captained India in the last international friendly against Nepal on August 31, said.

Meanwhile, the Indian team had double practice sessions on the day, sweating it out both in the morning and evening at the stadium. The Stephen Constantine-coached side are yet to open their account in the World Cup Qualifiers after successive defeats to Oman and Guam, respectively.

 

“We are taking one match at a time. Right now, we are focusing on the Iran match. Commenting about the tally of points and our position in the group isn’t possible at the moment,” Paul said.

“For me, on the ground everybody is equal. Players from the other team would also be having two legs, two hands and one head,” he smiled. “They are same as us. Why should one get scared?” he quipped.

For the record, Iran, the top-ranked team in Asia stand at 40 in the Fifa ladder while India are at 155.

Reflecting on the preparation, Pal said: “We played well against Oman and we have improved a lot since that performance. Right now we have a very talented crop of players in the national set-up, but one needs to patient,” he said.

Since Constantine took over, India have fielded 15 debutants in the four matches so far under the British coach. Paul also made a special mention of his goalkeeping coach Rogerio Ramos and sports scientist Danny Deigan and their “value addition to Indian Football.”

“(Rogerio) Ramos is one of the best goalkeeping coaches that I have ever had in my career. He is technically very sound and I am lucky to him. I wish I was lucky enough to have him when I was a budding footballer. He is amazing,” Paul added.