Fujairah: Dheeraj Singh heroics at denying penalties saw India finish in the second place of Group E in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers beating the Kyrgyz Republic 4-2 in the spot deciding penalty shoot out after the teams were tied with identical points and goal difference following a 0-0 draw the very night.
This was the best ever finish for the Indian team, ending up in a second place with 4 points in the group after a win, a loss, and a draw on the final day.
The campaign started on a high note for the boys securing a 2-1 victory over Oman. Rahim Ali scored from the spot and assisted Vikram Pratap Singh for the second to seal the victory. Although Oman managed to pull back on for their side but outclassing the Blue Colts was difficult.
For their encounter against UAE, the boys had a great start and throughout the game, there were a lot of goalmouth actions but the lack of finishing from the forwards deprived the side of getting a goal. A very late conceded penalty gave UAE the upper hand and an undeserving loss to the boys.
The Indian Arrows initiative taken by AIFF after the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017, proved its importance and impact throughout, as the coordination between the players orchestrated a beautiful play that was seen throughout the campaign.
The third and the final match was no different as the Colts took on the Kyrgyz Republic. Dheeraj made a string of amazing saves including two in-the-spot deciding penalty shootouts to justify his tag of being the next big thing in Indian football. The performance of the boys was lauded by the senior team as well the athletes like Ravi Kumar Dahiya.
Many congratulations to the Indian U23 Football Team @IndianFootball for their valiant effort in the U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, finishing 2nd in a highly competitive group. 🇮🇳 #JaiHind pic.twitter.com/PuTzZlNNkY
— Ravi Kumar Dahiya (@ravidahiya60) October 31, 2021
However, the absence of Anwar Ali and Nemil was actually felt but the Blue Colts assured us of a bright future of Indian football ahead as the nation cannot wait to see the boys back in action.
