India Under-19 lose to Uzbeks, qualification chances diminish

The India Under-19 boys suffered an unnecessary 1-2 defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan in their AFC Under-19 Championship qualifiers in Group C at the Takhti Stadium in Tehran. With Iran winning 4-0 against Turkmenistan it means that India's chances of progressing to the final round are down to a bare minimum and only a wonder could see our boys in next years finals.

It was an open game with India knowing that only a win would keep them in the fray to qualify. India started off in an attacking mode with Sumit Passi lobbing the ball over an onrushing rival goalkeeper Amanok Asilbek only to find it hitting the upright in the 11th minute. And then, six minutes later, Brandon Fernandes' free-kick from the top of the box agonisingly sailed over. But it was the Uzbek's who took a 32nd minute lead through Vladimir Kozak with India now having the chase to get back into the game.

Early after the break captain Holicharan Narzary had sneaked in between the two Uzbek central defenders into the box but delayed his shot that split second in putting it past the goalkeeper. India did get the equaliser on the hour mark when Pronay Halder headed the ball in, but in the 73rd minute Brandon Fernandes received his second booking of the day and was send off. Only a minute before the sending off Sumit Passi all in the clear volleyed over a Holicharan cross from the left and even thereafter India had their chances like in the 85th minute when two players failed to tap in a free-kick from substitute Malswamfela. In the end three minutes from time Vladimir Kozak won the game for Uzbekistan with his second of the day.

It was an unnecessary defeat for India, but it is something they will learn from this match. Sadly the experience at the bigger Asian stage is most likely to be missed by this bunch of boys, who have the talent but today lacked the finishing.


India Under-19: 23-Ravi Kumar; 6-Akashdeep Singh, 4-Bikramjit Singh, 3-Sonu, 14-Narayan Das; 20-Johnychand Singh, 9-Sehnaj Singh (55' 7-Prabir Das), 8-Pronay Halder, 12-Brandon Fernandes; 11-Holicharan Narzary [C] (82' 13-Malswamfela ), 10-Sumeet Passi
Unused Substitutes: 21-Albino Giovanni Gomes, 26-Mohammad Moniruzzaman Ansari, 2-Pawan Kumar, 5-Arijeet Singh, 15-Edwin Gosula, 16-Pritam Kotal, 17-Rajinder Kumar, 24-Sunny, 33-Tirthankar Sarkar