Kuwait City: Prosenjit Chakraborty scored a hat-trick as India thrashed Bhutan 8-1 in a group match of the AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers here and keep themselves in contention for a final round berth.
The game between giants India and tiny Himalayam kingdom Bhutan was thorougly mis-matched.
Prosenjit, who struck in the 13th, 31st and 48th minutes, the other scorers were Jayananda Singh (fourth), Jerry Lalrinzuala (20th), Bedashwor Singh (33rd and 47th), Edmund Lalrindika (74th) and Nuruddin (75th).
For Bhutan, Yoesel Dorji scored the lone goal with four minutes of the first half left to play at the Ali Sabah Al Salem Stadium on Friday night.
India are in second spot in Group A with seven points behind table toppers Kuwait (nine points), against whom they will play on Sunday.
India need at least a draw against Kuwait in their last Group A match on Sunday as Tajikistan – who are on four points – are expected to beat Lebanon.
If India lose to Kuwait (and Tajikistan beat Lebanon), they will not qualify for the final round as Tajikistan have a better goal difference than them.
The 10 group winners and best five runners-up will join hosts Thailand for next year’s AFC U-16 Championships final round. (PTI)