Yamaha U-13 ASEAN Cup: India 0-2 Thailand A

Team India

India went down fighting to the Thailand A team 2-0 in the first match of the Yamaha U-13 ASEAN Cup at the Yamaha stadium in Bangkok on Friday evening.

Thailand asserted their dominance as early in the 8^th minute when Rattanan Ramun opened the scoring to be doubled six minutes later by Tanapat Khathippattee.

With half of the Indian Squad arriving only in the morning due to delay in their VISA clearance, the exhaustion was notable among the boys and the Thai’s were no match for them. To make matter worse, the Indian boys’ defense lacked coordination and let in two cheep goals.

In the second half, the kids show some sort of resilience and played their hearts out but was not enough to overcome the sturdy Thai side I the absence of their Coach Mrityunjay Hazra, who still could not reach due to last minute clearance issue.

India in an early morning match play Vietnam on Saturday, who was also, defeated by the Thailand A team later in the evening. A winner of these match progress into the final round as that gives chance to finish in the top 2.

“It was important for us that Thailand A beats Vietnam as that now gives us a chance to finish top two in our group and qualify for the final round. We have always been ranked higher against Vietnam and I am hopeful the boys will come on the top tomorrow,” said Arnab Bhattacharjee, who is filling in India’s coach’s role in absence of Mrityunjay Hazra.

“Their coach (Hazra) couldn’t reach due to last minute clearance issues. The rest of the boys reached only this morning and were understandably tired. So, I am not complaining,” said Arnab.“I am hopeful of a better showing tomorrow,” he added.

In the other matches, Thailand B beat Malaysia 2-0 before drawing goalless with Indonesia in the last match of the day.