Full-time! Ghana routed the struggling Indian U-17 team 4-0 to sail through the league stage matches at the FIFA U-17 World Cup. By the virtue of goals margin, Ghana outclassed Colombia, who won 3-1 against the US in Mumbai.
GOAL! Within seconds, India’s misery intensified as Ghana score another one. Ghana score back-to-back goals to take the scoreline 4-0 in their favour. Emmanuel Toku joined the party after he pushed the ball into goalpost and Gabriel Leveh made an assist.
GOAL! India suffer another goal in the 87th minute. Black Cats substitute Richard Danso has made an immediate impact after coming on.
81′ Hard luck for India! Rahul tries his luck but the shot gets jammed into goalkeeper’s gloves.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, Juan Penaloza scored for Colombia via free-kick in the 67th minute to put them in driver’s seat against the US.
63′ Rahim Ali replaces captain Amarjit. is being sacrificed for the attacker. Coach Luis Norton de Matos is going for it. Very attacking substitution here from the 63-year-old.
54′ Indian skipper Amarjit Singh Kiyam gets a yellow card.
GOAL! Ghana extend their lead to 2-0 with style. Captain Ayiah struck his second goal in the 52nd minute to help Ghana take a 2-0 lead against India. The skipper drove the ball cleanly inside the net with Edmund Arko-Mensah’s brilliant assist.
Half-time! Ghana were on top in the first-half as the scoreline read 1-0 in the favour of the Ghanaians.
45′ + 1′ Yellow card for Ghana left back Rashid Alhassan after he trips Aniket Jadhav who was threatening to break free on the right.
GOAL! Ghana earned the breakthrough in the 42nd minute. Skipper Eric Ayiah scored to help his boys take a 1-0 lead against the hosts.
Meanwhile, the US have equalised 1-1 against Colombia in Mumbai after 37 minutes.
34′ Boris Singh Thangjam gets a Yellow card.
30′ Ghana hold 60 per cent possession of the ball in first 30 minutes. Attacking Ghana seek a desperate goal against the hosts.
15′ India get a free kick. The free kick was a tame one though. With multiple bodies to aim for in the box, Stalin’s meek freekick is cleared easily by the active Ghana defence.
6′ Ghana found the back of the net early but the assistant referee is spot on as he ruled it offside.
India’s starting XI against Ghana
Welcome to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium
The floodlights are on and the Indian boys are rearing to go against Ghana in their final Group A match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi.
Amarjit Singh-led Indian U-17 football team hasn’t tasted a victory yet. Hopeless India lost 0-3 to the US in the opening match, followed by 1-2 defeat to Colombia.
From the Group A, the US have qualified for the knock-out stage. A victory with a big margin here will help India qualify, only if Colombia lose their match to the US.
Colombia and the US are currently battling at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai.
“We will go for nothing less than a win. We have shown the world that we belong on the same page as them and now we want to show that we can win against them,” said India’s head coach Luis Norton de Matos said on Thursday.
Earlier, Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar wished the Indian colts through a video message. “Sending my best wishes to Team India! We are all rooting for you, make us proud 👍🏻 @IndianFootball #BackTheBlue #FIFAU17WC,” he tweeted.