A 23-member Indian U-18 team is currently in Bhutan to participate in the SAFF U-18 Championships. The squad which traveled from Delhi on September 16 will be playing its first match in the tournament on today against 2015 Semi-finalists Bangladesh.

After Sri Lanka’s withdrawal from the tournament the formerly group event was changed to the round robin format. Each team will face now every other team once respectively and the team with the most number of points will win the title.

India ended as runners-up in the inaugural edition back in 2015, where they lost in the final to Nepal in penalties. They would like to go one step up this time around. After the opening encounter with Bangladesh today India are set to face hosts Bhutan on September 22 following which a game against Maldives on September 25 and Nepal in September 27

Head Coach Floyd Pinto informed that the entire squad is looking forward to the tournament, “The team is ready for the SAFF Championships. This will be a good tournament practice for the upcoming AFC U-19 Championship Qualifiers,” he said.

“It will help us to know our strengths and weaknesses. And playing competitive matches is always better than training games.” he added.

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The 23-member squad is as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Aditya Patra, Haroon Mohammad, Lara

DEFENDERS: Amal Das, Lalliansanga Renthlei, Kishan Singh Thongam, Namgyal Bhutia, Sahil Panwar, Asish Rai, Deepak Tangri, Jayananda Singh Moirangthem

MIDFIELDERS: Lalengzama Vangchhia, Lalnuntluanga Bawitlung, Zonunmawia, Abhisek Halder, Arnald Princeton Rebello, Ashis Pradhan

STRIKERS: Lalrindika Edmund, Roshan Singh Naorem, Suraj Rawat, Baoringdao Bodo, Pranjal Bhumij, Lalawmpuia

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