India have to play as unit, without fear, says goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu

A day ahead of India taking on Oman in the qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and AFC Asian Cup China 2023, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu said the team has to play as a unit and without fear.

"We have to play together as a team, and without fear. Getting off to a good start will be really important," Sandhu said.

"That's what we do -- we play to win. We will play to our strengths, and look to keep the opposition at bay. Hopefully, we can get off to a good start and pick up the maximum points to start off the qualifiers," he added.

The last encounter between Oman and India was a goalless draw in Abu Dhabi in a friendly game in December 2018.

"Of course, it is good to keep in mind what happened when we last faced Oman. However, it is also important to focus on the job ahead of us. We need to make sure we put on a good show in front of our home crowd in Guwahati," Sandhu said.

The Blue Tigers attended a preparatory camp in Goa before playing facing Oman. The team has also played 5 international matches as the build-up to the tournament since head coach Igor Stimac took charge.

"A lot has changed, we have a new squad, a new set of players and a different coach. On the pitch, we are trying to implement the style of play asked by the coach and put our best foot forward. Off the pitch, it has been pretty much the same, which is a good thing as you want to continue the good things that have been happening off the field," Sandhu said.

"Oman are a good team and have very talented players. The whole team is looking forward to playing against them. Personally, I would miss Ali al Habsi. Our friendship goes back a long way, and watching him play was always a good sight," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )