AFC U-16 Championships: Late goal by Vikram Singh hands India U-16 win against Vietnam
That match too had ended goalless as did the India under-16 team's match against Iran in the ongoing AFC U-16 Championship in Kuala Lumpur at the Bukit Jalil Stadium on Monday (September 24).
FT: IND 🇮🇳 0 - 0 🇮🇷 IRN
— AFC (@theafcdotcom) September 24, 2018
Niraj Kumar saves India’s day after denying Alireza Bavieh’s penalty. The game ends goalless! #AFCU16 pic.twitter.com/aRso0qw8li
Superb pressing football backed by confident defensive organisation and some sharp counter attacks helped India's cause. For all the possession that Iran enjoyed, it was India who had two of the easiest opportunities of the match in the dying embers of the second half. Ravi Rana missed the first one as his chip went inches over the Iranian goal while the second one was shot inches wide by Sailo after he rounded the Iranian custodian but could not finish from close range.
The match also saw Punjab youngster Niraj Kumar standing under the Indian bar maturing into a creditable goalkeeper as he thwarted an Iranian penalty in the 76th minute. Niraj stayed confident all throughout and was unbeatable in the aerial balls, leaping higher than all every time to collect the crosses from the flanks. He also dived full length to make a stunning save to deny Iran in the 16th minute.
Bravo! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 It was nail biting towards the end #INDvIRN it just makes me believe 🇮🇳 ‘We Can’ take on top playing countries of Asia without fear. Blessings & Good Wishes for match #INDvIDN @IndianFootball #BackTheBlue @BluePilgrims #AFCU16 https://t.co/XB9StgVKd2
— Henry Menezes (@menezeshenry) September 24, 2018
"We could have won the match. It was that close. But the boys gave their hundred percent on the pitch and they performed according to the game plan", said head coach of the Indian U16s, Bibiano Fernandes after the match.
"We are happy with a draw, though we aimed for a win and now we focus towards the next match against Indonesia (September 27)." The Indian midfield was stubborn as well as the defensive back-four. There was support and backup from each other. It was a superb display of tactical football.
The Indian Colts cajoled an opportunity in the 35th minute of the match, but Ridge De'Mello's shot from outside of the box went inches wide of the goal. The half-time scoreline read goalless as both teams went into the tunnel on level pegging.
🇮🇳 India and 🇮🇷 Islamic Republic of Iran shared the spoils in a 0-0 draw in their 2018 #AFCU16 Championship Group C tie!
— AFC (@theafcdotcom) September 24, 2018
Match Report: https://t.co/eUYxypqrKBhttps://t.co/JB7MlOXYuA
An attacking India emerged in the second half and the Colts ran onto Iran's final third in the early minutes of the second half itself but to no avail, as the Iran defence line held them at bay.
In a battle for midfield territory, both teams nullified each other out with chances coming in rare. While the Indian colts relied on counters, Iran resorted to set pieces. Both failed to create goal scoring chances. In the 76th minute, Iran were awarded a penalty kick after India committed a foul inside the box, but Iran's attempt from the penalty spot was saved heroically by goalkeeper Niraj.
Some more pictures from India's goalless draw against @TeamMelliIran! The Indians now have four points from two games at the #AFCU16 Championships.#INDvIRN #IndianFootball #BackTheBlue #StarsOfTomorrow pic.twitter.com/5zVmXi4iEK
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) September 24, 2018
Two minutes later, Ravi's shot from more than 30 yards out caught the Iran custodian napping, but failed to find the target as it whistled past the goal. Meanwhile, Indian defender Shahbas Ahammed was stretchered off following an injury in the 66th minute and was replaced by Harpreet Singh.
The Indian team next faces Indonesia on Thursday (September 27) in their last match of the group stage. India have four points from two games so far.
Source: AIFF