U-17 Asian Asian Cup 2025 qualifiers: How India can reach the finals ahead of group encounter against Thailand
The team currently sits in second place in Group D with six points from two games, behind Thailand on goal difference.
Published : Oct 27, 2024 14:18 IST , Chennai - 2 MINS READ
Coach Ishfaq Ahmed with the players during training ahead of the first group stage encounter of the U17 Asian Cup qualification Group D in Thailand. | Photo Credit: X @IndianFootball
The India U17 men’s national team will take on Thailand in its final group stage game of the AFC Asian Cup 2025 qualification tournament in Chonburi, Thailand on Sunday.
With two wins in its first two games -- a 13-0 thrashing of Brunei and a tight 1-0 win over Turkmenistan -- the Indian team under Ishfaq Ahmed is in contention to make it to the continental tournament.
The team currently sits in second place in Group D with six points from two games, behind Thailand on goal difference.
Here is how India U17 can seal its place in the 2025 AFC Asian Cup:
India U17 can seal progress to the Asian Cup with a win over current group-toppers Thailand. With the team already having sealed a top-two spot in the group, a draw in the final game could seal the team’s progression but will be dependent on results from the other teams.
Apart from the 10 group winners, the five best second place teams will make it to the main tournament next year. India currently sits in fourth place among the best second-placed teams.
Due to some groups having different number of teams, the results against the against the fifth-placed teams in five-team groups and the fourth-placed teams in five-team groups and four-team groups will not be counted while identifying the best second-placed teams.
India therefore has three points and a positive goal difference of one according to this calculation. A loss against Thailand in the final group match could hamper India’s chances of finishing as one of the five best second placed teams.
Here is the how the second-placed teams rank after the second round of fixtures:
| Position | Group | Team | Matches | Goal Difference | Points |
| 1 | J | Oman | 1 | +5 | 3 |
| 2 | F | Qatar | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 3 | C | China | 1 | +2 | 3 |
| 4 | D | India | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 5 | E | Uzbekistan | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 6 | G | Indonesia | 1 | +1 | 3 |
| 7 | B | Cambodia | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 8 | A | Iran | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 9 | I | Vietnam | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | H | Malaysia | 1 | -2 | 0 |