THIMPHU, Sept 30:
India’s stranglehold on the SAFF U-17 championship remained intact as they retained the title, defeating Bangladesh 2-0 in the final of the 2024 edition at the Changlimithang Stadium here on Monday.
After a barren first half, Mohammed Kaif put India ahead with a beauty of a header in the 58th minute. Whatever challenges Bangladesh were left with was finished off by Mohammed Arbash in the 90+5 minutes with a stinging left-footer.
Indian boys called the shot from the beginning, but it is never easy to find the target against a team that refused to show interest in taking the ball ahead and took the pitch with an utmost defensive mindset.
The Indians found their road blocked by a jungle of legs whenever they managed to carry the ball into the opposition half.
In such a scenario, set pieces remain the last resort and it helped the Indians too. In the 58th minute came India’s first goal from a corner kick. Skipper Ngamgouhou Mate should be credited for keeping the ball in the six-yard box and yet out of the goalkeeper’s reach.
Kaif, who failed to touch the ball at the goalmouth in crucial times on a few occasions earlier, didn’t repeat the mistake. His accurate header, a delicate flick rather, left little chance for Bangladesh custodian Nahidul Islam to react.
Not that Bangladesh was disheartened. In fact, the lead taken by India forced them to react positively and come out of their shell.
It nearly brought result in the 67th minute when goalkeeper Aheibam Suraj Singh had to come out of his charge to avert a situation that had a goal written all over.
To the delight of the goodly spectators at the stadium, India were not ready to sit on the slender lead and carry the day with it. They looked eager to make it more emphatic and kept on their attacking posture. It turned the game interesting.
India were rewarded for their persistence in the 90+5 minutes when the ball reached Arbash inside the box. He didn’t wait and fired a left-footer that crashed against the net to ensure the Blue Colts travel back to India with the winners’ trophy. (PTI)
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