Fans Applaud Team India After Courageous Display In AFC U-16 Tournament vs South Korea. Watch

A fearless team India went down fighting 0-1 against South Korea in the quarter-finals of the AFC U-16 football Championship at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on Monday. Jeong Sangbin's goal in the 67th minute ensured South Korea a win, according to a statement by All India Football Federation (AIFF). In 2002, India had lost 1-3 to the same opponents at the same stage of the AFC U-16 championship. However, India on this day fought hard and did not surrender until the final whistle. The opponents dominated possession from the start but confident defending with organization held them at bay for some time. Despite the loss in the AFC U-16 tournament, Indian fans in the stadium stayed put after the match to applaud the fighting attitude of the young Indian side. The official Twitter account of the Indian Football Team shared the video.

India U-16 get a round of applause after they go down fighting Korea Republic.#StarsOfTomorrow #BackTheBlue #WeAreIndia #IndianFootball pic.twitter.com/wyAQzPayG7

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 1, 2018

Compact defending with numbers further frustrated the opponents, who had scored twelve goals in the tournament before coming into this encounter. The Indian side that made it to the quarterfinals for the first time in sixteen years had progressed out of the group stages as runners-up of Group C, with five points in three matches but even after giving South Korea a tough challenge and stretching them to the limit, could not emerge victors. In the 14th minute, Niraj Kumar made an excellent save to deny South Korea from close range.  He then made two back-to-back saves in the 34th and 36th minutes to keep India in play as his dives saw the Korean shots from distance thwarted. 

India defended deep in the first half and pressured the opponents to give away the ball in the defending third. After 337 minutes without conceding a goal, the Indian defence finally gave way in the 67th minute when Jeong Sangbin tapped from close range after Niraj Kumar had palmed a venomous shot away. Spurred to find the equalizer, the Indian colts initiated attacks of their own but the Korean defence line held firm. 

(With IANS Inputs)

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India Football