AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers: Thailand secure comeback victory over India

Honburi, (Thailand) (IANS) The India U17 men's football team lost to Thailand 2-3 in a high-octane clash of the AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers at the Chonburi Stadium on Sunday despite leading at half-time

The loss means India will have to wait for the results of the other group-stage games before they know their fate regarding progression to the next round.

Ngamgouhou Mate (34' p) and Vishal Yadav (42') were the two scorers for India. Siwakorn Ponsan (36', 60') scored two for Thailand, before Chaiwat Ngoenma (86') netted the winners.

Right from the outset, it was evident that the Blue Colts would face a challenge, unlike the ones in the previous two encounters against Brunei Darussalam and Turkmenistan. The Indian defence and goalkeepers were put to the test more often in the first quarter of this game than they had in the prior two combined.

In the 34th minute, the goal duly arrived. First, Md Arbash was fouled in the box, when dealing with an aerial ball. From the ensuing penalty, captain Ngamgouhou Mate made no mistake, putting it in the top corner, past a diving Supakorn Poonphol to give India the lead.

It didn't last long. Thailand hit back with speed within two minutes. Driving in from the left, Phuriphon Photong exchanged passes at the top of the box, before pulling the trigger from a narrow angle having run inside. The shot took a deflection and came off the near post, straight into the path of Siwakorn Ponsan who put it into an empty net from a few yards out.

The pendulum swung again six minutes later, and this was the pick of the bunch. A series of headed clearances saw Rishi Singh pick up the ball near the corner flag, and drift a cross into the box. The ball came off the head of a Thai defender, and floated towards the top of the box. Vishal Yadav, positioned there, took the shot on the volley, hitting it perfectly and hard, low and straight in the centre of the Thai goal but leaving the goalkeeper with no chance to save it. India had the lead again. They protected it to make it to the break.

Right on the hour's mark, Thailand found a second equaliser, Siwakorn Ponsan the scorer again, tapping in a perfect cross from inside the six yard box. With both sets of players tiring in the humid conditions, mistimed tackles soon became the norm. Players of both sides going down frequently.

With four minutes to go, and a draw seeming the result that would take both teams through, Thailand scored a third, Chaiwat Ngoenma latching on to a long ball from the back to finish expertly on the volley. India got increasingly desperate to get an equaliser as time ticked by, but it wasn't to be as Thailand held on for the win.

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