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Tag: gurpreet

  • ‘You can’t cease’: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu remembers Milkha Singh’s phrases

    “Tumhe rukna nahi hai (you cannot stop)”, these phrases from legendary Millkha Singh nonetheless evokes Indian soccer goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu who says the recommendation from the ‘Flying Sikh’ helped him struggle challenges throughout his European stint.
    Iconic sprinter Milkha died in Chandigarh on Friday because of COVID-19 associated issues and there was an outpouring of tributes from hundreds of countrymen, together with sportspersons.
    Gurpreet remembers a ceremony in Chandigarh in 2015 the place Milkha gave away an award to him.
    “He (Millkha) told me ‘Hard work has no replacement. I even used to vomit blood at times after training but tumhe rukna nahi hai’,” (You can’t cease!),” Gurpreet stated in an AIFF launch.
    “At that point, I used to be enjoying my membership soccer in Norway with FC Stabaek, the place every single day was a struggle to show myself and break into the beginning lineup. It was an ideal problem and dwelling overseas, there have been days when it was laborious to maintain my spirits up.

    To be capable to share the identical house with you’ll without end be a second I’ll preserve with me. RIP #MilkhaSingh pic.twitter.com/4YHPdTQnRH
    — Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (@GurpreetGK) June 19, 2021
    “However, I used to fall again on these phrases spoken to me by ‘the Flying Sikh’ himself, they had been an ideal motivator and pushed me to present my all every day.
    “The words he spoke to me are still with me and continue to be a huge source of inspiration. His words and blessings will always be with me whenever I am fighting on the football pitch for my country,” stated the 29-year-old India primary goalie who has additionally captained the nationwide staff.
    In 2014, Gurpreet turned the primary Indian footballer to play in a high division membership in Europe when he turned out for FC Stabaek of Norway.
    He stayed with FC Stabaek until 2017. In 2016, he turned the primary Indian participant to play in Europa League, European soccer’s second-tier membership competitors.
    Paying tribute to Milkha, whose greatest identified exploit was the fourth-place end on the 1960 Rome Olympics, Gurpreet stated, “Legends and their legacies live on forever.”
    “Milkha Singh-ji and his life story has influenced billions of people in India and across the world, and even though he is no more with us, he will continue to inspire future generations.”
    He stated there have to be so many extra athletes throughout the nation whose lives had been touched by the legendary Milkha and hoped they’d in a position to push themselves to the subsequent degree via his blessings and knowledge.
    “All of us grew up studying about him and his successes, and to have shared the stage with him in individual is a reminiscence I’ll all the time preserve near my coronary heart.
    “He is one of India’s greatest sports persons of all-time. His achievements on the track are second to none and even in his eighties, he was devoted religiously to fitness and always encouraged others to do the same.”

  • 10-man India lose 0-1 to Qatar in World Cup qualifying spherical match

    A ten-man India defended creditably properly as they suffered a 0-1 defeat to Asian champions Qatar of their World Cup qualifying spherical match in Doha on Thursday.
    Abdel Aziz scored within the thirty third minute in a match utterly dominated by the Qataris. The two sides had performed out a goal-less draw of their first leg match right here in September 2019.
    Group toppers Qatar, who’re but to lose a match, had waves of assaults with their eight to 9 gamers within the Indian half for more often than not. Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu needed to pull off a collection of saves to maintain the margin of loss small.

    🗣️ @GurpreetGK: “I honestly didn’t (count the number of saves), but I think it was more than last time!”
    How good was that efficiency from ‘The Wall’? #INDQAT ⚔️ #WCQ 🏆 #AgainTheBlue 💙 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/ouOTA2FluD
    — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) June 3, 2021
    India, nevertheless, performed with 10 males from the seventeenth minute onwards after defender Rahul Bheke was pink carded after a second reserving. He had earlier acquired a yellow card within the ninth minute.
    India did have two good strikes within the match from counter assaults with Manvir Singh within the thick of issues on each events.
    India captain Sunil Chhetri, who returned to the staff after recovering from COVID-19 an infection, was changed by Udanta Singh on the resumption of second half.
    A winless India remained in fourth spot in Group E with three factors from six matches.
    Igor Stimac’s males are two factors behind Afghanistan (third with 5 factors) who performed out a 1-1 draw towards Bangladesh earlier within the day.
    India play Bangladesh on June 7 of their subsequent match.

  • ‘The self-belief was immense’: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on India’s attract Qatar

    Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, the first-choice goalkeeper of India, credited the crew’s self-belief and cohesion as being the decisive elements behind India’s spectacular 0-0 draw towards Qatar in Doha in September 2019.
    The 29-year-old shot-stopper put up a heroic show between the sticks that evening, registering 11 saves within the FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier on the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium towards the AFC Asian Cup holders.
    Gurpreet, who’s presently with the nationwide crew in Doha for an upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup qualifier towards Qatar on June 3, reminisced about that goalless attract an interview with AIFF.
    “The plan on matchday was to make life difficult for Qatar. They had won the AFC Asian Cup earlier that year and were buzzing after playing in the Copa America. We had to stay compact against them, and take our chances whenever we smelt a counter. And with that, we had to fight with everything. Everyone was desperate to contribute – everyone was trying their best,” he informed AIFF.
    “The clock started ticking, and we started to grow in confidence. The first-half ended goalless. We could gauge the frustrations around as the predictions that we would be whitewashed weren’t coming true. It allowed us to breathe a bit more. We realised we were heading in the right direction.”
    India gamers in motion towards Qatar in Doha in September 2019. (File)
    “‘Take some blows guys, we can do it,’ was the sentiment. The pressure was huge, but the belief was more.”
    “The dynamics were even better in the second half. Seeing Sahal, Udanta dribble past the best in Asia was a message which hit them hard. It was a great boost. We were not just defending, rather we were attacking and pushing them on the back foot on occasions.”
    “Almost everyone I speak to always makes me remember about the Qatar match. But if you ask me, that isn’t my best performance so far. I understand that in the Qatar match, we got a result – and hence, it will always stay a highlight,” he concluded.