Sacrifices made will not go unrewarded: India goalie
or concentration can easily lead to a goal.
JEAKSON SET TO ROCK
The meagre family income pulled through by his vegetable-seller mother has Jeakson Singh worried often but the midfielder has put that at the back of his mind and is completely focused on the on World Cup. Jeakson, a defensive midfielder, hails from Haokha Mamang village in Manipur’s. His father Konthoujam Deben Singh suffered a stroke in 2015 and had to leave his job with the Manipur police.
His family is now dependent on the income of his mother who sells vegetables at the Khwairamband Bazar in Imphal, 25km from home.
“When I left home for Chandigarh in 2010, it was alright. But my father had a stroke. My mother sells vegetables and that is the family income ,” Jeakson said.
“I have been dreaming of playing for
India since child- India on Sept 28 and warmed up to the Oct 6-28 tournament with a 3-2 defeat of New Zealand on Oct 1. hood and my life has changed. I am looking forward to wearing the India jersey in this World Cup. But I am worried about the condition of my family,” the 16-year-old said.
Jeakson’s elder brother Jonichand Singh is also a contributor to the income as he is playing for
Peerless club in
Kolkata Premier League. Tobago 2001, were they suffered three defeats and finished bottom of their group. Eight years later, the Asian side participated in Nigeria 2009, where they advanced from their pool, but lost in the round of 16 to Uruguay. At UAE 2013, Iran again reached the knockout stages, but again came unstuck, losing 1-4 to Nigeria, the eventual winners of the competition.
Iran topped Group A at the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship, due to a better goal difference than second-placed UAE. They then made certain of their place at the U-17 World Cup by comfortably disposing of Vietnam (5-0) in the quarter-finals, before beating Korea DPR in the semi-finals via a penalty shoot-out.