Buoyed Afghanistan coach Ashley Westwood has rubbed salt into the Indian wounds by claiming that his rag-tag team should have won the first leg in Saudi Arabia as well. The Khorasan Lions tamed the Blue Tigers at their home stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday (Mar 26) night to dent India's hopes of entering the next round of World Cup qualifiers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

India&nbsp;went down 1-2 against the Afghan side, despite leading the game, courtesy of a penalty kick goal from veteran forward Sunil Chettri.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We remained confident even when we were trailing. To be honest, we also could have won the earlier match. We were always the dominant side in the match,” Westwood said, referring to the first-leg&nbsp;which ended in a goalless draw.

“It was unlucky at 0-0 in the last game. We could have won that if we took our chances. I was not under pressure at 1-0 at half-time because I knew we would score. I never felt pressured because I always believed in the boys, and I am glad we got the result,” he added.

Westwood coached a win despite missing some of the key players of the team. A bitter pay dispute with the football association resulted in a strike by 18 Afghan players prior to the World Cup qualifiers, which forced Westwood to assemble a makeshift team to mount a challenge against the superior-ranked Indian team.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/embarrassing-shambolic-fans-seethe-after-afghanistan-beat-india-2-1-in-world-cup-qualifiers-watch-704566">Also read | ‘Embarrassing, shambolic’: Fans seethe after Afghanistan beat India 2-1 in World Cup Qualifiers&nbsp;</a>

<h2>Stimac blames players</h2>

While Westwood was all praise for his team, his Indian counterpart Igor Stimac once again reiterated that the players and their intensity was perhaps the undoing.&nbsp;

“Yes, we lost the game, of course. I accept the responsibility. I’m the coach at the end of the day. But we are second in our group. And look what we are creating. We are not playing poor football. We are playing decent football. We need much more support as a team, and as a unit, to provide more. As I said two days ago, we’re going to qualify.”

On the eve of the match, Stimac had vowed to resign if he failed to take the Indian side to the next round. After the match, there were chants of 'Stimac Out' in the stadium as well as a sustained online campaign where fans demanded that Stimac leave the job.&nbsp;

Despite being at the helm for more than five years now, Stimac has failed to instill a clear philosophy in the team. The lack of identity was truly on display on Tuesday as Afghanistan constantly played the Indian team off the park.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Buoyed Afghanistan coach Ashley Westwood has rubbed salt into the Indian wounds by claiming that his rag-tag team should have won the first leg in Saudi Arabia as well.

Buoyed Afghanistan coach Ashley Westwood has rubbed salt into the Indian wounds by claiming that his rag-tag team should have won the first leg in Saudi Arabia as well. The Khorasan Lions tamed the Blue Tigers at their home stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday (Mar 26) night to dent India's hopes of entering the next round of World Cup qualifiers. India went down 1-2 against the Afghan side, despite leading the game, courtesy of a penalty kick goal from veteran forward Sunil Chettri. “We remained confident even when we were trailing. To be honest, we also could have won the earlier match. We were always the dominant side in the match,” Westwood said, referring to the first-leg which ended in a goalless draw. “It was unlucky at 0-0 in the last game. We could have won that if we took our chances. I was not under pressure at 1-0 at half-time because I knew we would score. I never felt pressured because I always believed in the boys, and I am glad we got the result,” he added. Westwood coached a win despite missing some of the key players of the team. A bitter pay dispute with the football association resulted in a strike by 18 Afghan players prior to the World Cup qualifiers, which forced Westwood to assemble a makeshift team to mount a challenge against the superior-ranked Indian team. Also read | ‘Embarrassing, shambolic’: Fans seethe after Afghanistan beat India 2-1 in World Cup Qualifiers Stimac blames players While Westwood was all praise for his team, his Indian counterpart Igor Stimac once again reiterated that the players and their intensity was perhaps the undoing. “Yes, we lost the game, of course. I accept the responsibility. I’m the coach at the end of the day. But we are second in our group. And look what we are creating. We are not playing poor football. We are playing decent football. We need much more support as a team, and as a unit, to provide more. As I said two days ago, we’re going to qualify.” On the eve of the match, Stimac had vowed to resign if he failed to take the Indian side to the next round. After the match, there were chants of 'Stimac Out' in the stadium as well as a sustained online campaign where fans demanded that Stimac leave the job. Despite being at the helm for more than five years now, Stimac has failed to instill a clear philosophy in the team. The lack of identity was truly on display on Tuesday as Afghanistan constantly played the Indian team off the park. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Should’ve won first leg too’: Afghanistan coach Westwood rubs salt in India’s wounds after WC qualifiers win

Eight months after fleeing Kabul as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, Farida trains at a suburban Melbourne pitch, dreaming of one day playing soccer for her country while lamenting the fate of fellow women players back home.

The 20-year-old striker was one of 77 Afghan athletes, family members and officials evacuated from Afghanistan last year by the Australian government after lobbying by prominent figures in the sporting world.

Some of the evacuees have left Australia and found asylum in other countries, but more than 30 women footballers remain in Melbourne, rebuilding their lives with the support of one of the country`s top professional clubs.

"We`re in a secure place and everyone is really nice," Kabul native Farida told Reuters at training with her Afghan teammates on Wednesday.

"But in Afghanistan, after the Taliban took control, everything has been turned upside down."

Girls' and women`s sport has been crushed by the Taliban government`s hardline policies. Men have continued to play sport at community and elite level in the country but women are effectively confined to their homes by a mixture of regulation and intimidation.

The Taliban last week banned women from appearing in public with faces uncovered, having already ordered limits on their movement without a male chaperone. The Afghan footballers in Melbourne enjoy Australia`s freedoms and don`t hesitate to speak out against the Taliban.

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But Melbourne Victory, who are sponsoring their soccer programme, ask them not to share their surnames for fear of potential reprisals to families back home.

"There are no women`s rights in Afghanistan," said Farida, who is studying at a local university and found work at a local telecommunications firm.

"Women athletes are stuck in their homes. I get text messages from them saying they want to get out of Afghanistan."

Melbourne Victory, four-times champions in Australia`s top-flight A-League, have shown their commitment to the squad by drafting in their successful professional women`s coach Jeff Hopkins to train them while providing support staff and physiotherapists.

The players, of varying age and technical ability, are now competing in a local amateur league while often juggling work, study and English lessons. By offering professional training and pathways, Victory hope the squad might one day be able to play some form of international football as a "team in exile".

"We want to make them the best possible team they can be," Victory`s Director of Football John Didulica told Reuters.

"With that, people will be inspired by their courage, their commitment and their standing up to the ideology of the Taliban as women who are asserting themselves on the sporting field."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/uefa-allows-russia-to-take-part-in-its-congress-despite-ban-on-clubs-and-country-478202">UEFA allows Russia to take part in its congress despite ban on clubs and country</a>

Players joked about Australian slang before they started training, and there was plenty of good-natured banter during drills on a foggy night. Some wore head coverings but most just wore standard soccer kit. Players said the training was a welcome distraction from homesickness and worries about family.

There were limited seats available on the plane that flew them out of Kabul, meaning agonising choices and loved ones left behind. Farida was separated from family at the airport and lost her suitcase in the confusion. 
She has no relatives in Melbourne but lives with one of her teammates.

Fellow striker Shamsia, from Afghanistan`s northern province of Baghlan, described herself as "in shock" after arriving in Australia after transit through Dubai. "Everything was hard for me," the 21-year-old told Reuters.

"Then we started football training and I saw the girls two or three times a week, it got easier every time."

Once training with a national youth squad, Shamsia was on the brink of an international debut in Tajikistan but it was scuppered by the Taliban takeover. She said her little sister back home was probably a more talented footballer than her but had little hope of playing.

That made representing Afghanistan as a team in Melbourne all the more important. "We want to show to the world that women of Afghanistan are strong, and that we won`t stop," she said.

"We will keep fighting."

Eight months after fleeing Kabul as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, Farida trains at a suburban Melbourne pitch, dreaming of one day playing soccer for her country while lamenting the fate of fellow women players back home.

Eight months after fleeing Kabul as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan, Farida trains at a suburban Melbourne pitch, dreaming of one day playing soccer for her country while lamenting the fate of fellow women players back home. The 20-year-old striker was one of 77 Afghan athletes, family members and officials evacuated from Afghanistan last year by the Australian government after lobbying by prominent figures in the sporting world. Some of the evacuees have left Australia and found asylum in other countries, but more than 30 women footballers remain in Melbourne, rebuilding their lives with the support of one of the country`s top professional clubs. "We`re in a secure place and everyone is really nice," Kabul native Farida told Reuters at training with her Afghan teammates on Wednesday. "But in Afghanistan, after the Taliban took control, everything has been turned upside down." Girls' and women`s sport has been crushed by the Taliban government`s hardline policies. Men have continued to play sport at community and elite level in the country but women are effectively confined to their homes by a mixture of regulation and intimidation. The Taliban last week banned women from appearing in public with faces uncovered, having already ordered limits on their movement without a male chaperone. The Afghan footballers in Melbourne enjoy Australia`s freedoms and don`t hesitate to speak out against the Taliban. Also Read: Wagatha Christie: All you need to know about the legal battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy But Melbourne Victory, who are sponsoring their soccer programme, ask them not to share their surnames for fear of potential reprisals to families back home. "There are no women`s rights in Afghanistan," said Farida, who is studying at a local university and found work at a local telecommunications firm. "Women athletes are stuck in their homes. I get text messages from them saying they want to get out of Afghanistan." Melbourne Victory, four-times champions in Australia`s top-flight A-League, have shown their commitment to the squad by drafting in their successful professional women`s coach Jeff Hopkins to train them while providing support staff and physiotherapists. The players, of varying age and technical ability, are now competing in a local amateur league while often juggling work, study and English lessons. By offering professional training and pathways, Victory hope the squad might one day be able to play some form of international football as a "team in exile". "We want to make them the best possible team they can be," Victory`s Director of Football John Didulica told Reuters. "With that, people will be inspired by their courage, their commitment and their standing up to the ideology of the Taliban as women who are asserting themselves on the sporting field." Also Read: UEFA allows Russia to take part in its congress despite ban on clubs and country Players joked about Australian slang before they started training, and there was plenty of good-natured banter during drills on a foggy night. Some wore head coverings but most just wore standard soccer kit. Players said the training was a welcome distraction from homesickness and worries about family. There were limited seats available on the plane that flew them out of Kabul, meaning agonising choices and loved ones left behind. Farida was separated from family at the airport and lost her suitcase in the confusion. She has no relatives in Melbourne but lives with one of her teammates. Fellow striker Shamsia, from Afghanistan`s northern province of Baghlan, described herself as "in shock" after arriving in Australia after transit through Dubai. "Everything was hard for me," the 21-year-old told Reuters. "Then we started football training and I saw the girls two or three times a week, it got easier every time." Once training with a national youth squad, Shamsia was on the brink of an international debut in Tajikistan but it was scuppered by the Taliban takeover. She said her little sister back home was probably a more talented footballer than her but had little hope of playing. That made representing Afghanistan as a team in Melbourne all the more important. "We want to show to the world that women of Afghanistan are strong, and that we won`t stop," she said. "We will keep fighting."

'We will keep fighting': Afghanistan women footballers train in Australia after fleeing Taliban rule

The evacuation of a second group of 57 refugees from Afghanistan linked to women's soccer and basketball, comprising mainly women and children, has been completed after negotiations, world soccer`s governing body FIFA said on Friday.

There have been numerous evacuations since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Aug. 15 and announced a new government last month after U.S.-led foreign forces withdrew and the Western-backed government collapsed.

Last week FIFA said it had worked with the Qatari government to evacuate almost 100 football players and their families from Afghanistan. The 57 individuals in the second group were also flown to Qatar on a charter flight.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/female-soccer-players-evacuated-from-afghanistan-to-qatar-420938">Female soccer players evacuated from Afghanistan to Qatar</a>

Earlier this month, FIFA had also helped cycling body UCI in the evacuation of 165 refugees via Albania.

"We would like to express our sincere thanks to both the Amir of Qatar... and the Prime Minister of Albania... for helping us with this humanitarian mission and for all their assistance in safely relocating these members of the football community in such challenging circumstances," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said.

"I am also calling on all of our friends in governments and in the football community across the world to help us in obtaining residence permits and visas for the evacuees so that they can start a new life in safe and secure circumstances."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/fifa-to-expand-gaming-and-e-sports-portfolio-421234">FIFA to expand gaming and e-sports portfolio</a>

Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world while several players from Afghanistan`s national female youth soccer squad were granted asylum in Portugal.

The evacuation of a second group of 57 refugees from Afghanistan linked to women's soccer and basketball, comprising mainly women and children, has been completed after negotiations, world soccer`s governing body FIFA said on Friday.

The evacuation of a second group of 57 refugees from Afghanistan linked to women's soccer and basketball, comprising mainly women and children, has been completed after negotiations, world soccer`s governing body FIFA said on Friday. There have been numerous evacuations since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Aug. 15 and announced a new government last month after U.S.-led foreign forces withdrew and the Western-backed government collapsed. Last week FIFA said it had worked with the Qatari government to evacuate almost 100 football players and their families from Afghanistan. The 57 individuals in the second group were also flown to Qatar on a charter flight. ALSO READ: Female soccer players evacuated from Afghanistan to Qatar Earlier this month, FIFA had also helped cycling body UCI in the evacuation of 165 refugees via Albania. "We would like to express our sincere thanks to both the Amir of Qatar... and the Prime Minister of Albania... for helping us with this humanitarian mission and for all their assistance in safely relocating these members of the football community in such challenging circumstances," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. "I am also calling on all of our friends in governments and in the football community across the world to help us in obtaining residence permits and visas for the evacuees so that they can start a new life in safe and secure circumstances." ALSO READ: FIFA to expand gaming and e-sports portfolio Australia evacuated more than 50 female Afghan athletes and their dependents after lobbying by prominent figures from the sporting world while several players from Afghanistan`s national female youth soccer squad were granted asylum in Portugal.

After rescuing 100 members, FIFA claims 57 more refugees evacuated from Afghanistan