The Chinese defence kept the Indian attack force at bay and despite numerous attempts at goal, the Indian Colts were left reeling with failure to convert in front of goal. China scored through Huang Cong in the dying embers of the match as he effortlessly found the back of the nets to see the home side crash to yet another heart-breaking defeat
The Goan Network
Bambolim
A goal against the run-of-play broke the deadlock between the Indian Colts and China sending the hosts out of contention to progress any further in the ongoing BRICS U-17 Football Tournament at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Tuesday.
The game started out slowly with each side trying to take the measure of the other in the first quarter. As the game progressed, India gradually began to up their ante dictating terms to the opposition. The first real chance from either end came in the 23rd minute when the pacy India U-16 defender, Boris Thangjam sped all along the right flank from the defence to the other end to send a cross to forward Aman Chetri who rolled the ball back to him before the hardworking Indian defender lost the ball on physicality just outside the danger zone.
Few minutes later, China had their first chance at goal when India’s Boris fouled Chinese midfielder Zhang Hui just outside the box to bring an ensuing free-kick for China with forward Tao Qianglong stepping up to take the shot and the India custodian, Dheeraj Moirangthem doing well to parry the ball over the crossbar.
As time ticked over towards the breather, China survived a few anxious moments and somehow avoided India to breach their wall of defence. Amarjit almost produced the goal for India as the visitors scrapped through the melee without any damage.
Post resumption, India continued to launch repeated raids into the Chinese terrain which stood defiant in the back-wall. China had stray looks at the rival goal with substitute Huang Jingfeng looking a threat on the 64th minute. Shortly after the rare threat posed by the China, India substitute forward, Shubham Sarangi tried to direct a pass to forward Aman Chetri but failed to connect as two Chinese defenders stood bystanders. Couple of minutes later, a beautiful move created by Boris resulted in substitute India forward Shubham Sarangi finding himself in a good position to score whose feeble header missed the mark. But the disappointment soon turned to relief as the attempt at goal was ruled off-side. With a victory, the only option to advance from the bottom of the 5-team table, India threw all that they had at the opposition but each attempt proved futile.
Just at the turn of the final quarter, with the pressure built up on the visitors, hosts India had two chances from either corner but could not capitalize on them. India’s Komal Thatal tried to break the deadlock in the closing minutes of regulation time with a couple of brilliant manouevered efforts but the Chinese wall refused to cave in.
As drama began to unfold with six minutes added to stoppage time, India won a free-kick just outside the D. Spot-kick specialist Sanjeev Stalin stepped up to take the strike and his well-directed effort was matched by the Chinese goalkeeper, Qi Yuxi who fisted the ball over. With time running out, India adopted a total football approach but the move backfired as Chinese midfielder, Huang Cong effortlessly found the back of the nets to see the home side crash to another heart-breaking defeat. India plays pole-positioned and title favourites Brazil in their last round-robin engagement on October 13 at 8 pm at the same venue.
