Ryan Williams believes India can compete with strong international teams as the Blue Tigers prepare to face New Zealand in two friendlies after testing themselves against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay.
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Ryan Williams backs India to challenge New Zealand after Brazil, Uruguay tests (Photo: AIFF)
The Indian men’s football team will face another tough challenge when they take on New Zealand in an international friendly in Auckland on Thursday, November 12After testing themselves against Panama, Brazil and Uruguay in the previous international window, the Blue Tigers will now get an opportunity to measure their progress against another team with FIFA World Cup experience.
India, coached by Khalid Jamil, will play two matches against New Zealand during their historic first-ever senior men’s tour of the countryThe opening fixture will take place at Go Media Stadium in Auckland, while the second game is scheduled for November 15 in Christchurch.
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India Look To Build On Panama Draw
India had a mixed run in their previous international matchesThey struggled against five-time world champions Brazil and two-time Olympic champions Uruguay, suffering defeats against both teamsHowever, the 1-1 draw against Panama gave the side some confidence.
Panama qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with many new faces, and not much time to prepare However India were able to compete and earned a home draw.
The upcoming fixtures against New Zealand will offer another chance for Jamil’s players to improve against quality oppositionIndia are currently ranked 138th in the FIFA rankings, while New Zealand sit at 88th.
Speaking about the challenge, Jamil said, “Last window, we played against three strong teams, and now we have another strong opponent in New Zealand,”.
“This time, we are playing away from home, so it will be a different kind of test for usWe have to be ready, work hard, and give our best in both matches.”
Injuries Force Changes In India’s Squad
India will not have their full-strength squad available for the New Zealand tourDefender Anwar Ali and midfielder Apuia have been ruled out due to injuries, forcing the head coach to make changes.
Jamil has also brought back some players who were released from the squad for the ongoing SAFF ChampionshipThe coach will expect the available players to make the most of this opportunity and deliver strong performances away from home.
Chris Wood Headlines New Zealand Squad
New Zealand will be a difficult opponent, with experienced striker Chris Wood leading their attackThe Nottingham Forest forward is the country’s all-time leading international scorer, with 45 goals in 95 appearances.
However, Indian-origin midfielder Sarpreet Singh will not feature in the series.
India forward Ryan Williams, who has previously played in New Zealand, believes the team can take confidence from their recent matches against strong opponents.
“It’s a really cool couple of games for us… coming off the back of playing Panama, Brazil and Uruguay, we’ve got that taste for wanting to play teams that have been in the World CupWe’ve learned a lot from those games and know how we can improve,” Williams said.
“There were periods in those three games when it didn’t look like there was much differenceOur goal is to take that forward and try to sustain those good periods for longer against equally strong teams,” he added.
India will now look to turn those positive moments into a consistent performance against the All Whites.
