India U-17 football team shocks Italy 2-0
NEW DELHI: An India U-17 team stunned their fancied Italian counterparts 2-0 in Arizo, Italy, on Friday.The win epitomises the grit and determination of the colts who have been grinding together for this year’s U-17 World Cup since February 2013.
Strikes by Abhijit Sarkar (31’) and Rahul Praveen (80’) led their team to a massive win over the ‘Azzuri’ in a match largely dominated by India in terms of possession and chances created. India got off the blocks and gave the opposition a tough time from the start.
Komal Thatal’s 8th minute strike went whiskers past the Italian custodian as India hunted in packs for an early lead.
In the 13th minute, Aniket came close to opening the goal scoring charts for India but his effort went straight down the goalkeeper’s throat resulting in an easy save.In the 31st minute, however, the goal for the India came when Sarkar’s cross took a wicked deflection off the Italian defence line and ended up in the back of the opposition net.
After India led 1-0 at half-time, they sought to extend the their lead and safeguard the result.
In the 59th minute, Aniket missed a one versus one chance against the Italian goalkeeper after he rounded the opposition custodian up but failed to convert. Rahul, in the 75th minute, came close to scoring when he failed to tap the ball home from handshaking distance after Aniket’s shot was parried away by the Italian goalkeeper.
Goal scoring chances every now and then had to bear fruit and it did for the India in the 80th minute when Rahul scored from inside the box to double India’s lead. The U-17 World Cup will be hosted by India at six venues from October 6-28. A total of 24 teams will take part in it.