Joakim Alexandersson made a thumping start to his coaching career in India as the senior national women's team mauled Maldives 14-0 in the first of two FIFA women's friendlies in Bengaluru. (More Football News)
As many as eight players made their senior India debut in the ⛦first match, which India won by a resounding 1🐻4-0 margin. Striker Lynda Kom Serto scored four goals in her first appearance
Joakim Alexandersson made a thumping start to his coaching career in India as the senior national women's team mauled Maldives 14-0 in the first of two FIFA women's friendlies in Bengaluru. (More Football News)
What made it special was that as many as eight players made their senior India debut, and the Sw𝕴ede has assured that there will be more in the second game on Thursday.
The gulf in quality was obvious from the first whistle. While Alexandersson was happy that most of the things worked accor🌌ding to plan, he is now keen to see what his bench has to offer in the next game.
"I think we used the game well. We were too big for them. We used the advantage we had and made improve✤ments with regards to moving the ball, using the space in behind, going wide, and using the central line. So yeah, I think overall it was a good performance from us," he said.
"We're going to use the opportunity to have more inexperienced gir🌞ls in the next game from the start. We're going to make some rotations. Let's see what they can offer in the next game."
Among the debutants, Lynda Kom Serto proved to be🐷 the most impa𒈔ctful, scoring four goals. Those who have followed the striker from her younger years would label it as a routine performance despite it being her senior debut.
Lynda first made headlines when she scored two goals in the SAFF U15 Championship as a 12-year-o🃏ld in 2017. She was the MVP and top-scorer in the SAFF U18 Championship in 2022, and w🔯as India's number nine at the FIFA U17 Women's World Cup later that year.
Lynda formed a good partnership with fellow senior striker and Odisha FC teammate P🌳yari Xaxa, wit✅h the duo scoring half of the team's goals.
"Lynda performed very well, I think. She was good tactically also, we talked about her b🐈efore the game," said Alexanderssꦏon.
The 19-year-old said, "I'm very happy to score four goals. This was my first match in the senior team. I want to dedicate these goals to my family, coaches and teammates. I want to sco♒re more in the coming matches. These friendlyℱ games are useful for us as they help us get better as a team."
Neha, who was named the AIFF Promising Women's Player of th💦e Year in July, also netted a brace on her India debut. So did substitute Kajol Dsouza. Rimpa Haldar, who set the attacking third on fire with her dribbling skills, scored her first goal for the country after some brilliant build-up play.
Anticipating that Maldives will learn from their faults and try to be more compact in the second friendly, Alexandersson wants to see quicker and slicker play with the ballꦚ. The fact that they didn't concede any goals after 💞the 66th minute is evidence that they can be a decent defensive unit.
"I want us to speed things up even moﷺre. I think our opponents are going to be better in the next game, so we hav🅰e to be even quicker when it comes to the decisions with the ball," said Alexandersson.