Finished last in group but U20 team still basking in Argentina glory
under-20 football coach Floyd Pinto might be feeling proud about India drawing with Venezuela and beating Argentina in the COTIF Cup in Spain, which ended on Wednesday, but he conveniently kept the more important detail --- that of India finishing fifth and last in their group --- under wraps.
As the team arrived in the early hours on Friday, Pinto, who is also the Indian Arrows coach, said, “Every Indian should feel proud of the win.” However, neither he nor the All India Football Federation (AIFF) deemed it worthy to inform about the position of the team.
Reduced to 10 men, India defeated former U-20 world champions Argentina U-20 after losing 0-2 to Murciana and 0-3 to Mauritania. They were held to a goalless draw by Venezuela before they ended the tournament on a high. Before taking on India, Argentina U-20 had already secured a semi-final spot and the result of the match had no bearing on their chances. They went on to beat Russia 2-1 in the final to lift the title.
Pinto said, “The boys were extremely organised and focused. We got the goals at the right moments and the result was there for everyone to see. Not to forget, we also held U-20 World Cup runners-up Venezuela to a goalless draw. The boys had put up a great performance against Venezuela and after that match, I said that they must raise the bar against Argentina.”
Now, the AIFF is set to send the India U-20 team to Croatia for a four-nation tournament.
NEWDELHI:India
India’s Shubhankar Sharma shot his first sub-par round at a Major as he compiled a one-under 69 to lie tied 33rd after the first round of the 100th PGA Championship here.
While Sharma, playing his fourth Major of the year, had three birdies against two bogeys in his 69, his senior colleague Anirban Lahiri shot even par 70, despite five birdies, to lie tied 48th. Lahiri had just two pars in his first nine, which was the back stretch of the Bellerive Country Club.
In all he had five birdies and five bogeys. Four of the five birdies came in his first nine, while he had three bogeys on back nine and two on front nine.
The long 38-foot putt for birdie on the ninth, his closing hole, was a big consolation as Lahiri finished at even par 70 to lie alongside Tiger Woods (70).
Woods, a four-time winner of
the PGA Championship, got off to a slow start with a bogey and double bogey on his first two holes, but he recovered to shoot a 70 and is tied for 48th.
Gary Woodland (64) and Rickie Fowler (65) -- looking for their first win in a major championship -- took a big first step in that direction after setting the early pace.
“It feels great when you start with an under par round and overall I was happy with my play,” Sharma said.
On him being 2-under and finishing with a bogey, he added, “You are never happy finishing with a bogey, but a 69 did please me.”
“This course suits my eye, not only design, but also weather, hot and sticky, like we have back home. The grass is also like that. All in all it suits me and that’s why I played well.”
Lahiri had the consolation of long birdie putt on the last hole.
“That last putt (for a birdie) was something like 30-35 feet. I felt the golf course owed me some putts. I missed something like four putts inside sox feet and all up the hill, mainly because I couldn’t get it to the hole,” he said.
“I am looking forward to going out early and get the first use of the greens. Today, being the second last group was tough. There was a lot of wear and tear on the greens, but that was expected.”
ST.LOUIS(US):