Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 33 years! For the first time ever in 33 years, an Indian team on Monday (September 24, 2018) held an Iran national team across all age groups in official matches or in any official men’s competition. The last time India managed to hold Iran was on December 7, 1984 in the Asia Cup Finals in Singapore.

That match too had ended goalless as did India U-16 National Team’s match against Iran in the AFC U-16 Championship Malaysia 2018 at the Bukit Jalil Stadium on Monday.

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 a young lad from Punjab standing under the Indian bar maturing into a young man as goalkeeper Niraj Kumar kept off 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.

“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 at the Official Post Match Press Conference. “We are happy with a draw, though we aimed for a win and now we focus towards the next match against Indonesia (on September 27, 2018)”

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.

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 Kumar.

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 U-16 National Team faces Indonesia next in the AFC U-16 Championship on September 27, 2018, in their last match of the group stage. India have four points from two games so far.

(AIFF Media)

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:  Vikram Singh’s 86th-minute penalty led the India U-16 Boys’ National Team to a 1-0 win over Vietnam in their first match of the Group Stage at the UM Arena in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today (September 21, 2018).

In a match where India dominated possession and had as many as four clear goals scoring chances, Vikram Singh’s late strike from the spot led the Blue Colts to a deserved win over the opponents.

The Indian U-16 Colts could have taken the lead as early as the 8th minute when Vikram Singh was found inside the box after Gurkirat found him with a long ball. Vikram’s shot from inside the box after latching onto the ball with ease, went inches past the goal though.

Ricky Shabong, in the 17th minute, tried to open the goal scoring tally for India but his shot went wide of the goal after Vikram had pulled a ball back from the midfielder. Vietnam, however, initiated their own counter-attacks frequently, but the Indian defence paired with Niraj Kumar’s goalkeeping held them at bay.

With India dominating proceedings, Gurkirat Singh attempted a shot from distance that was saved by the opposition custodian on the 25th, and the 35th minute, India cajoled another excellent opportunity. Ravi’s cross found Vikram in the box, but from a tight angle, Vikram’s attempted shot went over the bar.

Vietnam almost fell prey to a howler in the 40th minute when an attempted pass back to the custodian was intercepted by Ravi’s incessant pressing. The Vietnamese goalkeeper timed his sliding tackle to perfection to deny Ravi’s efforts.

The half-time scoreline read 0-0 as both teams went into the tunnel on level terms.

Changing over, India’s attempt from a corner kick touched the cross-bar and went out as the Colts upped the ante, in an attempt to take the lead. Eight minutes later, Bekey Oram’s shot went over the bar.

Coach Bibiano made his first change of the match in the 61st minute and introduced Lalchhanhmia Sailo in place of Ricky Shabong and the substitute was quick to make his mark, albeit shooting wide of target, a minute later.

In the 66th minute, substitute Sailo broke free of the Vietnamese defence and found himself face to face with the opposition custodian. However, he failed to find the back of the net and forced the goalkeeper into a decent save from close range.

Vikram was brought down in the 83rd minute inside the box and India were awarded a penalty kick. The skipper found the back of the net in the 86th minute to break the deadlock and give India the crucial lead.

The full-time scoreline read 1-0 as the Indian U-16s registered their first win of the group stage. They face the mighty Iran next on Monday, September 24, 2018.

(AIFF Media)