NEW DELHI, Sep 28: The India U-17 boy’s football team converted a couple of penalties to register a comfortable 3-1 win over a 10-man Oman in a friendly match held in Muscat.
The team played against the hosts on Tuesday as part of its preparations for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers, which is scheduled to begin on October 3 in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Gangte (10th) converted a penalty to open the scoring for the visitors with Thokchom (18th) doubling India’s lead eight minutes later.
In the second half, Lalpekhlua (69th) scored the third goal for India by converting converted another penalty.
Alhaitham Alshukaili scored the solitary goal for Oman a couple of minutes before the final whistle.
The first half began with the Indians pressing hard to seize the initiative. In the seventh minute, Lalpekhlua’s shot went wide off a Danny through pass.
Three minutes later, India were awarded a penalty.
Gangte stepped up and made no mistake to give India the lead. The Indian gradually found their footing as Thokchom doubled the lead from Guite’s pass in the 18th minute.
A few more chances were missed by India but the youngsters remained upbeat in their efforts to score more goals. At the stroke of half-time, Korou’s powerful shot from a free kick hit the pole.
The second half began on similar lines as Bibiano Fernandes’s team got back into attacking mode immediately.
India earned a couple of free kicks in good positions but couldn’t make best use of them. In the 48th minute, Guite saw his free kick being cleared by an Omani defender.
Korou Singh proved to be a constant threat for the Oman defence and he often tested the opponent custodian with his shots.
In the 61st minute, Korou was provided with an opportunity to widen the lead off a Lalpekhlua cross from the left flank but the former failed to tap home.
Nine minutes later, Tamim Alburaiki tackled Lalpekhlua inside the box and India earned another penalty.
Lalpekhlua shot went straight into the back of the net making it 3-0 for India.
In the 88th minute, Alshukaili scored for Oman from a free kick. They were down to 10 men after Tamim Alburaiki was handed a red card. (PTI)
