AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers: Resilient effort from India's custodian, wasteful Blue Colts, and other talking points

India took the lead in the first half.

The Indian U17 team played out a draw against Palestine in the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers. The EKA Arena in Ahmedabad witnessed the Blue Colts sharing the spoils with Palestine as the match ended in a 1-1 stalemate. With this result, both teams have one point in their bag going into the second match of the qualifiers.

Shubham Poonia opened the scoring on the verge of the half-time break. After a grinding first half, the Blue Colts went into the dressing room with a 1-0 lead. The second half followed a similar script, and it was a tight contest. However, visitors found a way to break India’s resolve in the 74th minute, making the last quarter an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

Resilient Rajrup

The goalkeeper of the Indian U17 team, Rajrup Sarkar, had an impressive day in the first match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers against Palestine. Both teams played a cagey affair but made some close chances. For the hosts, it was Rajrup who prevented Palestine from disturbing the score line for a majority of the game.

The 16-year-old custodian put on an exhibition of his athleticism and made outstanding saves to keep the opposition at bay. One of the prominent factors that kept India ahead in the game till the last quarter was Rajrup’s presence behind the backline.

Wasteful India

What kept the Blue Colts away from all three points against Palestine was the lack of sharpness in front of the goal. The Indian team forged multiple impressive attacking moves throughout the match, but failed to convert those chances.

In the dying moments of the game, India found Palestine overcommitting and launched a quick counterattack through a looping delivery. The delivery from India’s half went straight to Rahan Ahmad, who made a great run to carry the ball to the final third but messed up in a one-on-one situation with the opposition goalkeeper. This passage of play was reflective of India’s night at the EKA Arena.

Tricky road ahead

This draw against Palestine could have provided the Blue Colts with the start that they require in these cut-throat qualifiers. With only one qualification spot on offer, each point matters. Teams like Iran are competing for a place in the AFC U17 Asian Cup, and with such strong teams in contention, India cannot afford to screw up chances.

The Blue Colts had the edge over Palestine, but Bibiano’s team lacked the ability to put the game to bed. This match feels like two points dropped rather than earning a point. What was already a tricky road to the main tournament has become more arduous for the Blue Colts, with each match being a must-win from here.

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