Indian U-19 Team finishes runners-up in SAFF Championship

29 Aug 2015

AIFF Media Team

NEW DELHI: The Indian U-19 National Team finished runners-up in the SAFF U-19 2015 Championship on Saturday (August 29, 2015) as they lost 5-4 on penalties against hosts Nepal, after a 1-1 draw at the end of ninety minutes, at the ANFA HQ in Satdobato, Nepal.

India missed their first penalty of the shoot-out, while Nepal scored all five to earn the SAFF Championship.

Coming off a win against Bangladesh in the semi-finals the Indian colts, albeit controlled the tempo of the match and attacked with sheer pace, failed to apply the finishing touch in much of their chances.

Playing in an intimidating atmosphere the colts pressurized their opponents as they looked for a breakthrough in the opening minutes of the match.

A corner kick garnered by the Indian colts, after a splendid attack from the right flank, was headed inches wide of the post. Next, Lalramzuava’s long ranger earned an uncanny save by the Nepali custodian as the Colts started to pull strings.

Attacking with fluidity and precision, the Indian contingent fell behind to a goal in the 20^th minute, when a counter attack resulted in a corner-kick, which earned the dividends for the hosts as they headed home to take the lead.

Not to be deterred the Indian contingent continued to knock their opponent’s door for an equalizer. A bustling header from a corner-kick flew whiskers over the bar as the colts continued to raid the opponent’s citadel.

Albeit trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Indian colts had a wonderful opportunity to equalize their deficit in the 65^th minute, and had it not been for a heroic lunge of the Nepali defence, the colts would have certainly availed the dividends. But a corner was all the Colts could gather.

With momentum on their side, the Colts began to dominate possession and breached the Nepali defence in the 88^th minute, when an Indian corner was handled inside the box, resulting in a penalty kick.

A calm and composed Shahbaaz stepped up to equalize India’s deficit. And the scoreline remained stagnant at 1-1 for the remaining time.

With the match moving to the penalty shoot-out, the Nepali contingent scored all five of their penalties, while the Indian colts missed their opening penalty to lose 5-4.