SAFF U-16 C’ship: India gallop to eight-goal triumph over Maldives

THIMPHU: Aibirlang Kharthangmaw and Mohammad Arbash scored a brace of goals each as India romped home to an 8-0 victory against the Maldives in the semifinal of the SAFF U-16 Championship at the Changlimithang Stadium here on Friday.

It was a game of complete control as the India U-16 team sealed its berth in the final in style, with Mohammad Arbash netting two goals in the 62nd and 82nd minutes and Aiborlang Kharthangmaw scoring in the 77th and 84th minutes.

Vishal Yadav, Mohammed Kaif, Levis Zangminlun, and Manbhakupar Malngiang netted a goal apiece as the Blue Clots made merry on a brilliant afternoon.

The victory now means that India will next face the winners of the second semifinal between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the final on Sunday.

India were in command from the very start, with efforts from Bharat and Levis, which went wide, setting the tone of the proceedings.

The Blue Colts led 2-0 at half-time and pumped in half a dozen more after the change of ends.

The first real chance of the game came when Samson Ahongshanbam's cross from the left was aimed perfectly at Bharat Lairenjam, whose glancing header went inches wide.

In what turned out to be a deviation in tactics from the last game, right winger Vishal Yadav began to play a more central role, often pulling the Maldives fullback Ahmed Mikyal Muyeen in with him as Levis drifted wide into the space on the wing.

India finally got the breakthrough that they deserved, in the 21st minute, when Karish Soram chipped an aerial through ball as Yadav caused some confusion in the Maldives defence with his diagonal run into the box. He scampered in between two defenders, received the ball and slotted it home with great aplomb.

A little over the half-hour mark, Bharat Lairenjam snuck in between the lines and had a crack, but Maldives keeper Ahmed Mifzal was on hand to make the save.

India doubled their lead in the 36th minute when a Mate Ngamgouhou corner was nodded in by Mohammed Kaif, as the Blue Colts went into the dressing room at the break with a comfortable lead.

The changeover did not change any fortunes for the Maldives, as India came out with more determination to put the game beyond a single shadow of a doubt. Yaipharemba Chingkham cut in from the left and threaded a pass through to Levis, who slotted it into the far post with the inside of his boot.

India head coach Ishfaq Ahmed soon made a host of changes, bringing on Manbhakupar Malngiang, Yoihenba Meitei, and Aiborlang for Bharat, Mate Ngamgouhou, and Vishal Yadav, respectively. The changes instantly paid further dividends as Aiborlang and Manbhakupar added two more goals in the 62nd and 70th minutes, respectively.

The fourth and fifth goals were split by a rather unusual substitution, as India goalkeeper Suraj Singh came off, allowing Rohit to get some game time in.

In the closing exchanges, Mohammad Arbash netted two goals, with Aiborlang scoring his own second in between, as India completed the 8-0 rout.