India qualify for AFC U-16 finals

Obviously I am worried. Because we are not getting good results and when that happens in two or three games, it means we are not playing well. — ERNESTO VALVERDE, Barcelona coach

The left foot is not taking the load. It’s difficult to fight in this condition and could have aggravated the injury. — Deepak Punia, after pulling out of the world wrestling final

Tashkent, Uzbekistan: India played out a 1-1 draw against hosts Uzbekistan here on Sunday to finish on top of Group B and qualify for the AFC U-16 Championship to be held in Bahrain next year. India, coached by Bibiano Fernandes, finished on seven points from three matches — the same as Uzbekistan but qualified as group winners by virtue of better goal difference (+10) in comparison to the home team’s +3. India had earlier beaten Turkmenistan and Bahrain by identical 5-0 margins. Needing just a draw to top the group, India took the lead in the 68th minute when Sridarth tapped the ball home off a rebound. But even though the hosts levelled the scores in the 81st minute, the Indians managed to hold on to a draw and achieve their mission. This is India’s third consecutive entry into the AFC U-16 Championships and ninth overall. Since 2011, this is India’s fourth entry into the AFC U-16 Championships, the previous ones being in 2011, 2015, and in 2017. Madrid, Sept. 22: Barcelona threw on their stars of the present and the future on Saturday but neither Lionel Messi nor Ansu Fati could save them from a dismal 2-0 defeat away at Granada.

Messi was still not deemed fit enough to start at Los Carmenes while Fati, the 16-year-old who has lit up La Liga in recent weeks, also began the game on the bench.

But while both came on at half-time with Barca trailing to Ramon Azeez’s opener, it was Granada that scored again, Alvaro Vadillo converting a penalty after Arturo Vidal was found guilty of a handball.

Barcelona have now won only two of their opening five league games and none away from Camp Nou, this their second loss already, just one fewer than the three they suffered during the entirety of last season.

With seven points on the board, this is their worst start to a season since 1994.

“Obviously I am worried,” said coach Ernesto Valverde. “Because we are not getting good results and when that happens in two or three games, it means we are not playing well.”

Instead, Granada go top of the table after capitalising on Atletico Madrid’s goalless Villarreal (Cazorla 77-pen, Ontiveros 89) Valladolid

Levante Eibar

Atletico Madrid Celta Vigo

Granada (Azeez 2, Alvaro Vadillo 66-pen) Barcelona 0 0

0 0

draw at home to Celta Vigo a few hours before.

They will stay there until Sunday, when Sevilla, Real Madrid or Athletic Bilbao could overtake them.

Barcelona are sixth, grasping onto the consolation of Messi’s second substitute appearance in five days that now suggests he has finally recovered from the niggling calf injury sustained at the start of August.

Their problems though are unlikely to be solved simply by their captain’s return.

Junior Firpo’s error two minutes into his first start for the club gifted Granada their opening goal and set the tone for a chaotic night in defence.

And up front, Antoine Griezmann was quiet again, with little in any of the combinations to suggest Ernesto Valverde has yet worked out who will form his best attacking trio and in what positions.

“In the end, the coach is responsible and I feel responsible,” Valverde said. “I always think you can win or lose but at least you have to deserve to win when you lose, and today it hasn’t been like that.”

Firpo’s mistake came early, as he shaped to play a long ball over the top back to his goalkeeper. Instead, the lively Roberto Soldado stole possession and slipped in Antonio Puertas.