Under-16 SAFF Cup: India squad announced

The first-ever edition of the Under-16 boys South Asian Football Federation Championships (SAFF Cup) will be played from August 1 to 10, 2011 in Kathmandu Nepal. Six nations in Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and hosts Nepal are taking part. The two other SAFF members Afghanistan and Bhutan are not taking part.

The teams have now all arrived in Kathmandu ahead of the draw tomorrow. The six teams will be divided into two groups of three teams each with each team playing two matches in the group stage. The top two nations from each group move into the semifinals. On the final day there will be position matches, first the 5th/6th Place Playoff, then the 3rd Place Playoff and then the grand finale.

India have named a 23 player squad for the tournament after two months of preparations at the Assolna, Cuncolim and Chowgule College grounds in Goa. Coach Thomas Joseph has high expectations of his boys to deliver.


INDIA Under-16

Goalkeepers
Avinash Kumar Rao, Agiapal Singh, Supratim Bhattacharya

Defenders
Myron Sezie Mendes, Maibham Jimmy Singh, Aula Kanyeha, Suman Saha, Mohammed Sajid Dhoot, Sarthak Golui, Randhwa Sukhjit Singh, Nabin Rabha

Midfielders
Kamalpreet Singh, Harmanjot Singh, Nitin Jyal, Germanpreet Singh, Khiangte Lalramzauva, Lalrammuana, Raja Rawat, Daniel Lalhlimpuia

Strikers
Vanlalthlamuana, Vanlalduatsanga, Prokash Majumdar, Jagannath Oraon

Officials
Thomas Joseph (Coach), C.M. Ranjith (Manager-cum-Coach), Mario Aguair (Goalkeeper coach), Babu Sampath (Physio)