India’s Under-17 football team faced a tough defeat in their first of two friendly matches against Indonesia in Gianyar, Bali, on Sunday. Despite a valiant effort, the Blue Colts fell to a 1-3 loss to their Southeast Asian counterparts.
The match started with an early setback for India as Indonesia was awarded a penalty in the 14th minute. Mierza Firjatullah, who had rounded the Indian goalkeeper, was brought down by Mohammed Kaif, resulting in a penalty and a yellow card for the Indian defender. Evandra Florasta stepped up to convert the penalty, putting Indonesia ahead early in the match.
India managed to create some chances throughout the first half. Bharat Lairenjam had a shot on target in the 23rd minute, while Ahongshangbam Samson came close to equalizing just a minute later, hitting the crossbar with a left-footed half-volley from 25 yards. Suraj Singh, India’s goalkeeper, also made a crucial save to deny Firjatullah in a one-on-one situation.
Despite the early goal, Indonesia continued to dominate the match, and they doubled their lead in the 50th minute through Fandi Ahmad. India quickly responded with a goal of their own from Levis Zangminlun, who hit the post before finding the back of the net. However, the hopes of a comeback were dashed just 12 minutes later when Firjatullah scored Indonesia’s third goal.
India tried to fight back in the latter stages of the match, introducing substitutes Hemneichung Lunkim and Manbhakupar Malngiang, who both put in strong performances. However, the Indian team couldn’t find another goal.
The two teams will face each other again on Tuesday at the same venue for their second friendly match. These matches serve as valuable preparation for India’s upcoming tournaments, including the SAFF U-17 Championships in Bhutan and the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Thailand.
