Indian U-16 boys thumped Turkish giants Fenerbahce 6-3

by Rounak Majumdar September 12, 2019

NEW DELHI: The India U-16 National Team increased their winning streak to 11 matches after they defeated Turkish giants Fenerbahce 6-3 in Istanbul, Turkey, on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.

Striker Sridarth outplayed Fenerbahce at their backyard, netting four goals, where he completed his hat-trick in the first half. Winger Shubho Paul scored the other two, to make it a large six-goal affair against the Turkish opponents.

Sridarth was lethal early on. He launched furious attacks and registered his name at the scoring tally within the fourth minute of the match. The Blue Colts received the chance via Yoihenba Meetei’s attempted through ball which was initially miscued. However, the Fenerbahce keeper failed to collect the ball, as Sridarth got on to it and opened the scoring.

The young striker struck again a minute later, when he received the ball from Sibajit, giving India a two-goal lead by the fifth minute.

Just before the quarter-hour mark, Shubho cut in from the left flank and unleashed a shot that curled past the keeper and into the goal, to make it three.

Arda Chakirli pulled one back ahead of the quarter-hour mark, but 15 minutes later, Shubho scored a second time, to restore the three-goal lead; Yoihenba was again, the provider.

Sridarth completed his hat-trick a few minutes later, when Maheson played him through, before the former scored again. Dogukan Tarlaek executed a perfect volley to make it 5-2 in favour of the Indians, as the two teams headed down the tunnel after a rather frantic first half.

The Turks came out with some vigour in the second, and Utku Buyukkose found some space in the Indian box, and pulled the trigger to bring the deficit back to two goals. However, Sridarth struck his fourth of the night off a Maheson cross from the right flank, to settle the score at 6-3.

Fenerbahce did have a chance to reduce the deficit when centreback Anish Mazumder was adjudged to have fouled an opposition player in the box, as the referee pointed to the spot. However, India keeper Aman Kumar Sahani pulled off a brilliant save from a spot-kick by Yunus Emre Kantar, before Singson finally cleared the ball.

With this win, the India U-16 boys stretch their winning streak to 11 matches, as they now head to the AFC U1-6 Championship Qualifiers, which is set to be held in Uzbekistan, later this month.

SCORELINE:

India U-16 (Sridarth 4’, 5’, 33’, 53’, Shubho Paul 12’, 30’) 6-3 Fenerbahce (Arda Chakirli 14’, Dogukan Tarlaek 37’, Utku Buyukkose 52’)

India XI: Aman Sahani; Pritam, Singson, Anish, Amandeep; Sibajit, Yoihenba (C), Maheson; Shubho Paul, Sridarth, Taison

CREDITS: AIFF Media