India’s campaign in the 2016 U-17 BRICS Cup kicked off with a loss against heavily-fancied Russia with a 1-0 loss. India got off to the worse possible start, as a defensive mixup allowed Russia to score through Daniil Lopatin in the opening minutes. India had a chance to come back to the game after Umiarov Nail was sent off in the second half, but could not capitalize.
While the scoreline was disheartening, there were plenty of positives from the Indian colts, who could even have grabbed a point at the end as they exerted pressure on their opponents.
Here are 5 talking points from the game:
#1 India’s U-16 core gets a reality check, but should still be encouraged
Much of the starting lineup that started the U-16 AFC Championship a month ago started this U-17 game as well, which tells you all about their ability. The side earned plenty of plaudits for their performances against their Asian opponents, but also showed why youth football requires patience, not condemnation.
There wiil be those who would have been despondent with the result and not being able to score against a 10-man Russian side, but it is important to realize that at this age level, results matter for little. Yes, a win would be nice, but the exposure these 15 year olds are receiving against players who are about 6-12 months ahead of them in their development will be priceless.
4 games in 9 days is probably less than ideal, which should see India coach Nicolai Adam heavily rotate, but the chance to play against the best youth players of Brazil, South Africa, Russia and China will serve as a preview for the FIFA U-17 World Cup next year.
#2 Russia could probably win the tournament
Russia did send pretty much their first-choice U-17 side for the BRICS tourney, so we were probably watching the future national side. Even when lining up against their Indian opponents, it was immediately obvious that this would be a physical mismatch.
Russia capitalised on that seed of doubt right from the start, making merry in the centre of the park, not letting a nervous India play the ball out from the back. There was plenty of interchanging movement, and they tormented their opponents with incisive play that led to the first goal.
Daniil Lopatin was the goal-scorer, and with 5 goals in 12 games for the Russian side so far, he is surely one to look out for in the future. Given that Brazil have sent a second-string side and looked off the pace in a 2-0 win over China, Russia must be fancying their chances of lifting the inaugural BRICS U-17 tournament.
#3 Boris Singh at right-back was an odd experiment
At the U-16 AFC Championships concluded recently, Boris Singh was played on the left side of a three-man attack for much of the tournament. He was allowed license to roam, and with his lung-bursting runs down the flank, earned plenty of plaudits and won over many Indian fans with his performances, to the extent that he is now considered one of the best prospects for the Indian senior team in the future.
Thus, it was rather strange to see him start at right-back, although he has played fullback for the Indian colts before. However, Boris looked woefully out of position at the start, letting a long ball over the top catch him out which eventually led to the first goal, courtesy another error from Jitendra. The pattern continued for much of the game, with Boris struggling to position himself appropriately while dealing with overlapping runs.
There were flashes of brilliance, however, mostly when Boris charged upfield and set up Indian attacks and even took the Colts first strike on goal after cutting back inside on his left foot. It is important to remember that youth football frequently involves positional changes, and playing Boris out of his comfort zone will surely improve him as a player.
#4 Nicolai Adam may not have erred in opting to drop Aman and Aniket from the starting XI
There was a clear pattern to how India fared in the U-16 AFC Championship last month – the Colts started ever game on fire, taking the lead, before fading badly in the second half, leading to two winning positions ending up as a 3-2 loss and a last-gasp 3-3 draw. Thus, there was some merit to Nicolai Adam opting to start conservatively, keeping his powder dry.
Aman Chetri and Aniket Anil Jadhav are the two best talents of this group of boys, but frequently run out of steam. Had it not been for the early defensive error, India could have walked away with a point or better. Nicolai Adam's gamble nearly paid off, as Umairov Nail’s red card left India in the advantageous postion of playing against 10 men at the end.
Aniket immediately showed his talent when he came on, using his physique and quick feet to repeatedly get past his markers and send in a couple of tempting crosses. Aman Chetri came on late in the half, but also ensured that his talents were on display, working the channels and not letting the Russian defenders rest. However, just as they were getting into their stride, the final whistle blew.
Nicolai Adam may have worked out a good tactical system, and only needs to iron out the kinks.
#5 Doordarshan’s coverage was woeful
It was rather ironic that all the glitz and glamour of the Indian Super League was taking place parallel to the U-17 BRICS Cup. The ISL has perfected coverage of Indian football, marrying the traditional 22 men on the pitch with India’s penchant for Bollywood-esque drama, with fireworks and flashy graphics on screen aplenty.
Doordarshan’s coverage of what is a minor preview of the FIFA U-17 World Cup next year was awful by comparison. Putting aside the image quality from the 80s, the footage frequently cut away from goal-mouth action and focused on close up shots of the referee or the bench.
In addition the commentary provided plenty of moments of mirth. They initially described a shot of Nicolai Adam and his staff as the ‘Russian bench’, and wrongly identified a couple of Indian players, alongside a cringeworthy half-time interview with the Russian coach. Plenty of Indian fans are falling in love with the Indian colts, and they deserve better.
