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The Blue colts looked lackluster in the recently concluded four-nation China Tour. In their first match against the hosts, the boys in Blue fought well but ultimately went down 1-0. In their next match against Thailand, the Indian team showed great resilience till the 87th minute -- when the score was tied at 1-1 -- but momentary lapses in concentration by the boys meant that they would end up conceding two late goals, the match ending 3-1 in favour of the opposition. Bibiano Fernandes' boys salvaged a 1-1 draw against North Korea in their third and final match of the China Tour.
However, Bibiano Fernandes' boys bounced back with a 2-0 win over Thailand's Buriram United in a friendly encounter held on July 13. Danu and Bhuvnesh netted a goal-a-piece in this match and both looked in sublime form.
The best part about these friendly encounters is the tremendous exposure it will give the boys for the upcoming AFC U16 Championship scheduled in September 2018, Malaysia. The Blue colts could have had better results in the China Tour as well and even made quite a few clear-cut chances in all the games. It was their finishing in the final third which let them down. However, the coach says they are working on it specifically in the practice sessions (see tweet below).
Meanwhile, the Indian U-17 girls will also be seen in action soon (July 18th). They are set to play the BRICS U-17 Football Tournament in Johannesburg, South Africa. It is a 5-nation tournament where they will play South Africa, Russia, Brazil, and China.
The Blue colts have a tight schedule in the coming few weeks with quite a few friendly matches lined up. The boys have really shown some positive signs during their previous tours and are playing well as a unit. Vikram Pratap Singh has been the star performer for the young team so far, and also bagged the top scorer award at the China Tour. Will he be able to produce the fireworks again? One thing is certain -- the young colts will be riding high on confidence after their recent 2-0 win.
Here are the complete details of their upcoming match:
Date: July 17, 2018
Match: India U16 vs Bangkok Glass FC U17
Timing: Afternoon (time not confirmed)
Venue: Thailand
Television Channel: No telecast
You can also follow all the live updates of the match on Sportskeeda.
Will the young colts be able to win the 2nd match on the trot or will the Bangkok Glass FC U17s prove to be superior? Do let us know what you think in the comments section below.
