India held to 2-2 draw in Nepal
A game which saw four goals in the final 14 minutes of the match, India and Nepal failed to find a winner until the final whistle in the second encounter of the AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers, played at the Halchowk Stadium on Friday.
Published : Sep 22, 2017 19:10 IST
A game which saw four goals in the final 14 minutes of the match, India and Nepal failed to find a winner until the final whistle in the second encounter of the AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers, played at the Halchowk Stadium on Friday.
After conceding the first goal in the 76th minute, India came back strongly riding on a terrific brace from super-sub Harpreet (83', 86') only to concede the lead as both teams shared the spoils.
With the result India dropped down to the second spot in Group D with 4 points from 2 matches whereas Iraq rose to the pole position having bagged all 6 from 2 matches.
The game kicked-off slowly but the Boys in Blue came very close to opening the score in the 24th minute when Thoiba's blistering header sailed over the crossbar.
Four minutes later, Ravi and Vikram built up an attack from the middle but the former mistimed a tap in from handshaking distance as he hit it straight at Nepal's 'keeper who happily grasped the ball.
In the second half India changed its strategy and tried to build up the attack from both flanks.
Having found the Nepalese goalkeeper out of position, Bekey poked it to the net in the 65th minute only to see it cleared it by a defender on the goalline.
Nepal put the ball in the back of the net in the 76th minute but its joy was shortlived by super-sub Harpreet as he beat the Nepalese custodian from 30-yards out only 7 minutes later.
Three minutes later, he tapped a cross from Lalrokima home to complete his brace within 9 minutes of joining the fray.
Nepal didn't let the crowd down as it scored the equaliser in the 87th minute to send the crowd into a delirium.
India next faces the group-topper Iraq in its final match of the group at the same venue on Sunday.