Nayeem, the captain of the Indian team when it last won a medal in the Asian Games -- in Bangkok 1970, said, ``I feel our team actually had some excellent chances in all the matches. In the opening game against Japan, we lost by just one goal as against the huge loss that many of the pundits had predicted.''

On the present team, Nayeem says, ``We got Venkatesh at the last moment and the team as a whole was uncertain whether it was going or not. Also some of our players, clubs andofficials must realise that playing for the country is a matter of pride and that it comes above regional teams and clubs.'' Obviously the late arrival of some players for the camp, not-too-good food at the Bangalore camp and clubs' reluctance to release players in time still rankles the soft-spoken man.

India got past Nepal by a goal from Carlton Chapman and then in the game against Turkmenistan, who many see as a dark horse in the tournament, India did extremely well to come back from a 0-3 deficit. ``We should actually not have been three goals down. Unfortunate defence lapses let us down and then we missed our chances,'' he added while referring to a couple of misses by Bhaichung Bhutia, one of them from close quarters.