The under-20 Indian Football team travelled to Valencia, Spain, to take on the Argentina U-20 side in a COTIF Cup tie. People back home did not have high expectations from this match, for obvious reasons, hoping their team would put up a tough fight against the youth team of a major footballing nation. A side made up of players from top academies like that of Boca Juniors.
India took the lead in the 4th minute of the match following a slip-up from the Argentine goalkeeper. India created quite a few chances before going a man down in the second half. Forward Jadhav was shown red following a bad foul in the 54th minute. Two brilliant saves from the Indian goalkeeper made sure that the lead was intact. Anwar Ali of India scored the second goal and probably the best one in the tournament so far. Having received a free kick on the edge of the box in the 68th minute, Ali converted it calmly as the ball sailed into the right top-corner of the goal. Argentina managed to pull one back but the 10-men Indian team prevailed. Playing against one of the best youth sides of the world, managed by World Cupper Lionel Scaloni with Pablo Aimar as his assistant, it’s needless to say that this victory will do the Blue Pilgrims worlds of good.
In another match, the Indian U-16 team beat the U-16 AFC champions Iraq, 1-0 in the WAFF U-16 Championship being played in Amman, Jordan.
