India U20 Women’s Football Team (Twitter)
India and hosts Vietnam played out a 1-1 draw on Saturday as India crashed out of the second round of the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers on goal difference despite going undefeated in the campaign.
India on Saturday played out a 1-1 draw against hosts Vietnam to bow out of the second round of the AFC U-20 Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers.
Needing a win in their final Group F match to make the cut, India took the first lead through Babina Devi’s 12th-minute strike. But Tran Nhat Lan (45+2) canceled out the target.
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Both the teams finished on seven points from three matches each in the four-team group.
However, India (+13) were eliminated due to low goal difference with Vietnam (+14).
India won their opening two fixtures against Singapore and Indonesia, and it ended in a final round group clash against the hosts.
The game began with India rising, the hosts’ nervousness evident in their inability to string clean passes in midfield.
In the 12th minute, Babina Devi created a moment of magic when she lifted a half-clear header from Neha’s cross from around 30 yards out on goal, took a neat first touch and let fly.
The ball went into the top left corner, Vietnam goalkeeper Dan Thi Kieu Mai caught it with his fingers, but could do nothing more.
Shocked and a little dazed, Vietnam started stringing together passes and controlled the game more while India looked happy to sit back and play on the counter.
Vietnam got their reward just before the interval. The ball fell to Tran Nhat Lan, who let his shot fly to see it bounce off the post.
Fortunately, the rebound went through several shirts and fell back to him. This time, she twisted, turned and placed the ball into the opposite corner to draw her team level.
Vietnam slowed down the game in the second period, committing fouls, and turning the match into a drab affair.
Coach Maymol Rocky’s two substitutes Sumati Kumari and Moushumi Murmu brought some much-needed strength to a faltering front line but were unable to break through Vietnam’s defence.
Thus India were eliminated despite remaining unbeaten in three matches.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)