New Delhi, Aug 21 - India coach Bob Houghton said Friday that the defending champions have to win their remaining three matches to qualify for the final of the ONGC Nehru Cup football.

After the 0-1 loss to Lebanon in the opening match, India not only need to win all three matches, but they will also have to keep an eye on the goal difference. At worst, they can afford to draw one game and that should, perhaps, be against favourites Syria to take their points tally to seven, assuming they beat Kyrgyzstan and Sri Lanka.

'We have a daunting task in front of us. Probably we have to win all our matches if we want to defend the title,' Houghton said after the team's practice session, which was cut short by heavy rain.

The Englishman also said that India played well against Lebanon but were unlucky to lose at the Ambedkar Stadium here Wednesday.