CHAMPIONS! A dominating performance by the ever consistent Reds see Shillong Lajong get the better of Blasters with ease. Lajong are now the U18 Y-League Champions! Many Congratulations to the Reds for their stupendous display in the final, and in the entire tournament. Deserving Result for Lajong.
That's it for now here at Sportskeeda. This is Sayak signing off.
90+1' GOAAAAL! and it's game, set and match for the Reds certainly as they score their second of the day. Khongsit sets himself up in the box, creates space and calmly places it into the back of the net. 2-0 for Lajong.
80' OFF THE WOODWORK! A Belter of a shot miles back from the goal crashes into the wood work and goes out for play. So close, yet so far for the Blasters.
68' Pragyan floats in a freekick into the box, but the resilient Lajong defence as usual clears it away. Blasters have to switch to a different plan to breach the Lajong defence who have been brilliant today.
56' Chaos in the Blasters box as Ayush Das misjudges an incoming ball and loses the ball. A last minute clearance from one of the defenders somehow bail Blasters out from the problem. Das could have been punished here easily had it not been for the defenders.
51' CHANCE! Lajong Defence caught napping as Abdullah gets the second bite of the cherry but the Lajong Keeper comes out in brave fashion and parries the ball away to safety.
16' MISS! Lajong get a corner swung in. The ball ends with a Red Shirt in the box who volleys it inches wide of the target. Should have been 2-0 here easily for the Reds.
3' GOAL! Disaster for Kerala Blasters. A Long Pacey throw from Shillong Lajong ends up in the back of the net after a touch by a Blasters defender. A terrible own goal indeed.
Kerala Blasters : Ayush Das (GK), Gokul Krishna, Alex Saji, Pragyan Gogoi (C), Adarsh AS, Muhammed Arfas, Lins Poulose, Badusha, Shinu, Yashin Malik, Abdullah KS
Kerala Blasters U-18 will face Shillong Lajong U-18 in the final of the AIFF u18 Youth League. The match will be played in Shillong on May 26 at 4:30 pm.
In the Semifinal, Kerala Blasters got the better of SAI (EZ), winning 2-1 win after finishing Group C Toppers in the National Finals. Blasters finished behind Aizawl FC in Group Aand made it to the National Finals in the play-off round. Prior to the play-off round, The Yellow Boys finished second in Group D in the Zonal Round.
Blasters' opponents Shillong Lajong made it through to the final after defeating East Bengal youth side by a scoreline of 2-0. Lajong finished top of Group D in the National Finals and did not have to play in the play-off round due to their finishing top of Shillong-Guwahati Zone in the Zonal Round. The North-eastern side will look to take advantage of the home support to claim victory in the final.
Both the teams will have to be at their absolute best in order to be crowned the U18 Youth League champions.