31st Asian Youth (U19) Football Championships - CHIANGMAI - THAILAND:

Draw made for Asian Youth Cup:
September 2: India have been grouped with hosts Thailand (19.10), Saudi Arabia (21.10), Kazakhstan (17.10) and Kuwait (23.10) in the 31st Asian Youth (U-19) football championships, to be held at Chiangmai, Thailand, from October 17 - 31. Group B comprises of defending champions South Korea, last year´s runners-up China, Iraq, Qatar and Japan. The top two teams from group A & B will qualify for the semifinals. These four semifinalists will vie for honours in the World Youth U-20 Championship, to be held in Nigeria next year.

GROUP A
TEAM P W D L GF:GA PTS
1. Saudi Arabia 4 3 1 0 05:01 10
2. Kazakhstan 4 2 1 1 07:05 06
3. Thailand 4 1 3 0 06:02 05
4. Kuwait 4 0 2 2 02:05 02
5. India 4 0 1 3 03:10 01
17-Oct-98 16:00 Thailand vs. Saudi Arabia 0:0 YU Jingyin, CHN
17-Oct-98 18:00 Kazakhstan vs. India 3:2 (2:2) SHAMSUL MAIDIN, SIN
19-Oct-98 16:00 India vs. Thailand 0:4 (0:2) ISSA HAZIM H, IRQ
19-Oct-98 18:00 Kuwait vs. Saudi Arabia 0:1 (0:0) KIM TAE YOUNG, KOR
21-Oct-98 16:00 Kuwait vs. Kazakhstan 0:2 (0:2) YU JINGYIN, CHN
21-Oct-98 18:15 Saudi Arabia vs. India 2:0 (1:0) EBRAHIM A, BHR
23-Oct-98 16:00 India vs. Kuwait 1:1 (0:1) SHAMZUL MAIDAN, SIN
23-Oct-98 18:00 Kazakhstan vs. Thailand 1:1 (0:0) ISSA HAZIM, IRQ
25-Oct-98 16:00 Saudi Arabia vs. Kazakhstan 2:1 (0:1) KIM TAE YOUNG, KOR
25-Oct-98 18:00 Thailand vs. Kuwait 1:1 (0:0) NIK AHMAD, MYS
October 17: Kazakhstan - India - (2:2) - 3:2 - goals: 0:1 Nitin Pradhan (19'), 1:1 Yevgeniy Tarassov (20'), 2:1 Yerlan Urazayev (36'), 2:2 Pradhan Nitin (45'), 3:2 Yevgeniy Tarassov (63').
MVP: No.11 Kazakhstan: Tarassov Yevgeniy.
A second half blitz by Kazakhstan sank Indian hopes of coming away with full points from this opening match. The Indians, winners of the tournament in 1974 did seem like they would make it a night to remember when Nitin Pradhan scored two great goals to level the score at 2-2 just before half time. But instead of staying on course with their aggressive play, the Indian side opted to go on the defensive and this was their undoing. The star of the Kazakhstan side was Tarassov Yevgenily who slotted in two goals including the winner. His second goal was a classic solo effort with Tarassov sliding the ball past the sliding Indian goalkeeper Naseem Akhtar. India tried to find the equalizer with Praden working hard up front but he lacked support and it was Kazakhstan who got off to a good start.
INDIA: 1-Naseem Aktar (GK), 2-Prabhjot Singh, 3-Covan Lawrence, 4-Mahesh Gawli, 5-Mir Farooq Hyder (20-Nongmaithem Rajesh Meetei 64'), 6-Roque Barreto, 7-Lukram James Singh, 8-Noel Anthony Wilson, 9-Shanmugam Venkatesh (16-Chandan Das 57'), 10-Sanjib Sheikh [Cap], 11-Nitin Pradhan.
October 19: India - Thailand - (0:2) - 0:4 - goals: 0:1 Pisan Rumrai (23'),0:2 Sutee Suksomkit (39'), 0:3 Tongchai Akarapong (54'), 0:4 Sutee Suksomkit (70').
MVP: No.19 Thailand: Sutee Suksomkit.
As the score line indicates, India were simply overwhelmed by the Thais in this group match. The Indians just could not find their stride from the start with passes going astray and the defense laboured on for 23 minutes before finally yielding to the Thai assault. When Pisan Rumrai opened accounts for his side with a header in the box, it gave the Thais who used the flanks well to map the attack, a boost to their confidence. Keen to snatch a victory after having shared points in a scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia in the opening group match, Thailand stepped up the pace of their attack. Leading the Thai attack was hardworking Sutee Suksomit who not only helped make the score lines 2-0 before half time but slotted in another goal to end the Indian humiliation in the 70.minute when from a cross on the right from Jatupong Thongsukh, he hammered a half volley into the Indian goal from inside the box. His goal came after Tongchai Akarapong scored Thailand's third goal off a header.
INDIA: 1-Naseem Aktar (GK), 2-Prabhjot Singh, 4-Mahesh Gawli, 6-Roque Barreto, 7-Lukram James Singh (9-Shanmugam Venkatesh 75'), 8-Noel Anthony Wilson (15-Joseph Murali 67'), 10-Sanjib Sheikh [Cap], 11-Nitin Pradhan, 16-Chandan Das, 19-Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, 20-Rajesh Meetei Nongmaithem (5-Mir Farooq Hyder 46').
October 21: India - Saudi Arabia - (0:1) - 0:2 - goals: 0:1 Saleh F Alsaqri (5'), 0:2 Bandr H.F. Almutairi (80').
MVP: No.10 India: Sanjib Sheikh.
Nine-men India gave fancied Saudi Arabia a hard time despite losing this group encounter. The Indians who played their best football to date tonight, suffered a setback when Roy Chowdhury was expelled in the 37.minute for a tackle from behind on Mohamed Dabo. Then, Joseph Murali was also shown the red card in the 84.minute. All this came after the Indian defense failed to settle down quickly in the match and allowed Saled Al Saqri to sneak in that very early goal. Setback number two came with the first red card. The loss of a player so early in the game and a one goal deficit spells disaster for any team. But India surprised by keeping the Saudis working overtime in their efforts to bag full points. That the Saudis were also a very tired side last night - their fitness was suspect - did not help them at all. The Saudis who were harassed at every turn by the understrength Indians did manage to score for a second time and it was a good goal with Bandr Al Mutairi hitting a 30-meter shot from a free kick which streaked straight into the netting. But that was all. It was India who won the applause at the end from the crowd.
INDIA: 1-Naseem Aktar (GK), 2-Prabhjot Singh, 3-Covan Lawrence, 4-Mahesh Gawli (19-Subhashish Roy Chowdhury 25'), 5-Mir Farooq Hyder, 6-Roque Barreto, 7-Lukram James Singh, 8-Noel Anthony Wilson, 9-Shanmugam Venkatesh (15-Joseph Murali 69'), 10-Sanjib Sheikh [Cap], 16-Chandan Das (11-Nitin Pradhan 75')

October 23: India - Kuwait - (0:1) - 1:1 - goals: 0:1 Bader MZ Najem (15'), 1:1 Climax Lawrence (80').
MVP: No.06 India: Roque Barreto.
India finally bagged a point after three matches and it was vastly transformed side that took to the pitch. Playing with confidence and without five regulars, India took the fight to the Kuwaitis. Never mind that Kuwait scored first as Bader Najem knocked in a header off a corner. India showed skill and determination in putting sustained pressure on the Kuwait defense which in the 80.minute finally cracked as Climax Lawrence positioned at the top of the box received a pass, turned and scored with a grounder. If only India had better control of their passing and the presence of their regulars, full points would have been certain.
INDIA: 1-Naseem Aktar (GK), 3-Covan Lawrence, 4-Mahesh Gawli (17-Janak Basumatary 25'), 5-Mir Farooq Hyder, 6-Roque Barreto, 7-Lukram James Singh, 9-Shanmugam Venkatesh, 10-Sanjib Sheikh [Cap], 11-Nitin Pradhan (12-Climax Lawrence 76'), 16-Chandan Das, 18-Mohammed Waseen (20-Nongmaithem Rajesh Meetei 56')

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