India U-16 score eight against Bhutan

India 8 (Jayananda Singh – 4th, Prosenjit Chakraborty – 13th and 31st; Jerry Lalrinzuala – 20th, Bedashwor Singh – 33rd and 47th; Edmund Lalrindika – 74th; Nuruddin – 75th)

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Bhutan 1 (Yoesel Dorji – 41st)

KUWAIT CITY: There were two questions, the first of which was how long would it take for India to score the first goal. The question found its answer in the 4th minute itself when Jayananda Singh tapped in a Bedashwor Singh corner from the far left.

The second question stayed, how many would India score? With the cool breeze blowing across the Sabal Al-Salem Stadium in the next 90 minutes, the spectators, munching chips and sipping some cold, lost count as to how many India scored. Every time the U-16 boys, all products of All India Football Federation’s Regional Academy scored one after the other, all had to look up to the electronic board.

India ended up scoring eight to register a 8-1 victory against Bhutan in their third match of the U-16 AFC Qualifiers. Courtesy the victory, India moved upto 7 points from three matches with their last match slated against hosts Kuwait on September 29.

The style remained the same — moving the ball from one side to the other. There were subtle touches, though in the exuberance of youth, a couple of times, the boys preferred to go past their marker instead of releasing. You ought to give it to them, after all, they are all U-15 boys playing in U-16 Continental Championship.

By the interval as India had scored five, the second question resurfaced again – how many would India end up scoring.

Immediately after resumption, the sixth was added to the tally – an ice-cool Bedashwor Singh following up a Nijwm Muchahary centre to head it home.

Thereafter, the story stayed the same. Keep possession, those deft touches at a fast pace, slow down at will. Leave aside the boys, by now it had almost become a habit for the NRIs who had dropped in to cheer to expect everything to perfection; so even that odd misspass was being hard to be accepted.

The second change was brought about in the 65th minute – Edmund Lalrindika replacing Nijwm and immediately made an impact as Kezand Wangchuk had little option other to bring him down as he had sidestepped past him.

Even as the rival defence stood tall for the resultant free-kick, Edmund added his name to the scoresheet in the 74th minute when he finished off a combined movement down the left. Even the youngest team member had scored.

The very next minute, Nuruddin’s centre deflected off the rival goalkeeper Anup Ghalley to bulge the net. It was 8-1 and we were in the 75th minute.

The second question had found its answer by then.

INDIA: Dheeraj Singh (Goalkeeper), Amey Ranawade, Jayananda Singh (Kishan Singh – 46th), Amit Tudu, Jerry Lalrinzuala; Kharlukhi (Captain) (Aaron Rodrigues – 79th), Prosenjit Chakraborty, Anirudh Thapa, Nuruddin, Nijwm Muchahary (Edmund Lalrindika – 65th), Bedashwor Singh.