Dalima Chhibber, who scored a goal from about 40 yards out off a free-kick, said that no matter what, the team would always try to ensure that no other team would be able to win that tournament, which India have monopolised over the years.

In the Hero Gold Cup last month in Bhubaneswar, Nepal had beaten India 2-1, and Chhibber said that game was in the back of the players’ minds. “We knew they had beaten us at home, so we always wanted to win. There can be no sweeter revenge, than coming to Nepal, beating them at their home and winning the trophy for India,” she said.

Chhibber turned heads with a sensational free-kick in the first half, which put India 1-0 up on the day, and she said she was confident of her ability to strike the dead ball.

Nepal’s forward Sabitra Bhandari has been a little bit of a thorn in Indian flesh in the recent past, having also scored twice in the Nepalese victory in the Hero Gold Cup.

So, what was said at half-time? India came out in the second half with a renewed vigour and energy that wasn’t seen before the break, where Nepal were arguably the better side.

“Not much was said,” the 21-year-old said, “All of us wanted to win, and that was the only thing running through our heads. We were not going to back down from the fight for sure, we wanted to take the trophy home with us.”

The Delhi girl also said that it was a huge help to the team that they’ve played the number of competitive games that they have in the recent past.

Next month, India will take the field in the second round of the AFC Qualifiers for 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they have been grouped along with Myanmar, Nepal and Indonesia, who are all teams that India have faced in the recent past.

Chhibber said the number of games this team has played together will stand them in good stead ahead of that tournament, where the sole aim is “to get the three points in every game we play.”

India face Indonesia in their first game of the second round of Olympic Qualifiers on April 3, when the action for the group commences in Myanmar.

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