India will win gold at Asian Games: Neha

Sunelita Toppo had a sleepless night after India narrowly crashed out of the World Cup. A goalless draw against Australia in Pool E of the second round pushed India to the third spot and its semifinal dream came crashing.

“We came so close and worked so hard to come here, but we couldn’t achieve it. I know we finished the match in a draw, but our thinking was that we have to reach the semifinals,” Sunelita, one of the youngest members of the team, playing her maiden World Cup, told the Hindu.

For senior midfielder Neha, participating in her third World Cup, the result brought back painful memories of previous setbacks —loss in the bronze medal game at 2020 Olympics and defeat to Australia in the 2022 Commonwealth Games semifinal.

“The same thing happened here… everyone was very sad, crying and concerned that we had come so close and missed an [opportunity to fight for a] medal. It’s very difficult, but the team is coming out of it,” said Neha, as the team targets a rare fifth place finish in the classification game against Germany here on Thursday.

“Everyone is saying that we have created history [finish in the top six]. But a medal is a medal, so that sadness will always be there.”

Sunelita, 19, believes this high-level tournament experience will stand her in good stead. “I got a lot of learning points. There is not much pressure in a normal tournament. But in the World Cup, there was a lot of pressure. They [seniors] helped me to cope with it, which I will be able to use in the future,” said the midfielder.

Neha hailed this current crop, calling it the ‘the best combination’ with five seniors making a third appearance and 11 tournament debutants.

“But it didn’t feel like their first World Cup and our third World Cup. The whole team was playing equally,” said the 32-year-old.

If India beats Germany, it will be able to ride the momentum into the Asian Games next month, where the team is chasing its first gold in 48 years.

“I think we will carry this team to the Asian Games. We will try to give our best. But we have to win the gold medal. No matter what happens, we will give our best. We will win the gold medal,” said Neha.