Sumit Sharma header fetches India full factors towards Bangladesh

Defending champions India made a successful begin to their SAFF U17 Championship marketing campaign as they defeated Bangladesh by a solitary objective in a Group A match on the Changlimithang Stadium on Friday (September 20, 2024).

After struggling to breach a decided Bangladesh defence for many a part of the match regardless of full dominance over the proceedings, defender Sumit Sharma made all of the distinction with a deft header within the 90+1 minute that hit the pitch earlier than coming into the online.

Substitute Manbhakupar Malngiang, who was pushed in by head coach Ishfaq Ahmed within the 78th minute, did the preliminary spadework as his measured cross into the field from the best caught a number of Bangladesh defenders on the flawed foot.

Whereas the one objective of the match fetched the Blue Colts three factors in a three-team group, they will surely not really feel happy with the slim margin of victory.

Given their near-complete management over the 90+5 minute match, India might have been the runaway winners. However the grit of the Bangladesh defenders, combined with the beneficiant quantity of luck they loved, left the Indian attackers pissed off for the remainder of the interval.

Malngiang’s cross, which resulted within the objective, was solely one of many many who tormented the Bangladesh defence again and again in each halves.

India’s two wing backs Renin Singh Chingtham and Yaipharemba Chingakham overlapped with unfailing regularity, and the 2 wingers, Vishal Yadav and Samson Ahongshangbam, had been equally aggressive of their strategy that stored the Bangladesh defence on their toes.

India stepped up on the fuel within the final 20 minutes and seemed determined to keep away from a state of affairs the place they might need to return to the dressing room with just one level within the pocket.

Throughout this era, a long-ranger by Samson shook the crosspiece, and a header from Yaipharemba missed the goal by a whisker. Bangladesh defence withstood the storm, however the last-ditch effort by Sumit Sharma pressured them to give up all three factors.