AFC U-19 Qualifiers: Vietnam defeats India

India went down 0-4 to hosts Vietnam in its second match of the AFC U-19 Championships 2017 Qualifiers at the Vietnam YFTC, Hanoi on Friday. As a result, India bowed out of the Championship with one point from two matches.

India's Bawitlung Vanlalhriattiri is being tackled by Vietnam's Thi Nu during the AFC U-19 Championship in Hanoi on Friday.

Losing concentration at crucial junctures cost Indian U-19 girls as India went down 0-4 to hosts Vietnam in its second match of the AFC U-19 Championships 2017 Qualifiers at the Vietnam YFTC, Hanoi on Friday. As a result, India bowed out of the Championship with one point from two matches.

Much in control for the first 35 minutes, India was growing in confidence after a cautious start. But as the match progressed, it turned out to be a different story altogether. The first chance of the match for India came in the 25th minute, the triangle of Hemolata, Shetty and Ratanbala combined well and laid it on for Kashmina who proved a bit too fast for her marker.

Kashmina’s shot hit the post and bounced back straight to the Vietnamese goalkeeper, Tran. The horde of Indian attackers lurking around could only curse their luck. Perhaps it was an indication of things to come. Ten minutes later, Vietnam was rewarded a penalty, courtesy a needless tackle at the edge of the box and Tuyet Ngan gleefully converted from the spot.

The second goal came in the 43rd minute. With Central Defender Sweety Devi being treated outside, the Indian defence was extremely slow to react to a long but harmless clearance. An alert Ngan, the poacher, banged it in as Vietnam headed to the interval with a comfortable two-goal cushion.

Later it became extremely difficult to overturn a two goal deficit, especially against a side tactically as sound as Vietnam. Nevertheless, the Indian girls came out blazing all guns and looked more dominant till the 75th minute.

With Vietnam playing a high level of defence, Kashmina on a couple of occasions, sneaked in following through passes from Smiriti and Ratanbala respectively. But she stayed guilty of holding onto the ball a bit too long allowing the rival defenders to recover.

The Indians were tiring out by then and it was from the 75 minute onwards that the hosts took over completely. The third goal came in the 82nd minute when Thi Nu placed the ball from in between the Central Defenders; and then Ha Thi made it 4-0 in the added time.

Vietnam will take on Iran in the last League match to decide the Group winner.