21:10 (IST)
GOAL! Juan Penaloza gives Colombia the lead.
Colombia start the second half on the front foot and it is Penaloza who breaks the deadlock. He gets the ball on the right of the box and cuts in to unleash a fierce left-footed shot into the top corner. Dheeraj could have never saved that.
21:03 (IST)
India 0-0 Colombia
Colombia get us underway in the second half.
20:56 (IST)
Colombia with the majority of the possession but India have had two very good chances to go ahead. Boris, who is playing at right-back, was involved in setting up both the chances. Colombia could have gone ahead through Campaz's header but for Dheeraj to make a diving save to keep the match goalless. With Komal and Aniket yet to come off the bench, India have it in them to clinch this match.
20:52 (IST)
20:50 (IST)
Half-time. Rahul hits the post! India 0-0 Colombia
Boris has been brilliant in attack for India tonight and he muscles past his marker and finds Rahul free on inside the box. The Malayali hits on the volley and the ball hits the upright beyond a diving Mier. India hit the post in the last match and they have struck the woodwork yet again. The referee blows the whistle and India go into the break on a positive note.
20:49 (IST)
Dheeraj has made up for his initial errors by producing some top class saves today. After India's opening game, the US coach had identified the goalkeeper as the host's best performer. Dheeraj is making a very good argument again today. His latest effort to deny Yadir Meneses was an example of his impressive agility.
20:45 (IST)
40` India 0-0 Colombia
Colombia have increased the intensity after Abhijit's chance and India are forced to defend in number. Dheeraj is called into action once again as Meneses lets one lose from the edge of the box. Colombia go for goal directly from the corner and it hits the bar but Dheeraj lands awkwardly on his shoulder. He stays down and Indian medical team run in to check on Dheeraj as the ball goes outside. The keeper is back on his feet to a raucous cheer from the Delhi crowd.
20:38 (IST)
35` India 0-0 Colombia
Anwar Ali stretches to prevent a cross from the left to reach Cortes behind him. He gets up gingerly and it looks like he might have damaged himself in the process. He walks it off though and India get on the counter with Rahul sprinting away with the ball but the move breaks down. Minutes later Campaz gets on the end of a cross but his header is palmed away brilliantly by Dheeraj Singh. Top quality keeping from Dheeraj there!
20:33 (IST)
India's energy and work rate has certainly seen an improvement this evening but goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh's distribution has been really poor. Just like against the USA, the hosts have induced pressure on themselves by losing the ball in dangerous areas. The threat by Colombians, though, has been restricted. India are getting plenty of opportunities to counter-attack but a lack of acceleration is letting the side down.
20:32 (IST)
Colombia's lopsided shape poses a new challenge for India today. Leandro Campaz is playing as an extreme wide winger, with the full-back, Thomas Gutierrez tucked in on the left. On the opposite flank, Juan Penaloza is essentially in the role of a wing-back. Forward Deyman Cortes is supported in attack by Yadir Meneses and Luis Lopez who are playing behind him.
20:32 (IST)
Abhijit Sarkar lashes over just when it seemed India will score its first ever World Cup goal. A neatly worked move saw him rush past the Colombian defenders but unfortunately for the host, it was not to be. Until now, the proceedings were dominated by the Colombians who are hoping to catch the Indian defence by playing long balls into the opposition half.
20:31 (IST)
30 ` India 0-0 Colombia
Leandro Campaz with the first chance for Colombia but his shot hits Boris. A hint of handball there but Campaz win sit again and puts in a low cross which is cleared comfortably by the defence. India are growing in confidence here. A misplaced pass by a Colombian player sees Ninthoinganba go on a lung-busting run down the right but he loses it to a brilliant tackle from behind.
20:22 (IST)
20` India 0-0 Colombia
Ninthoinganba wins the ball in midfield and fins Rahim on the run but his pass is overhit and Mier collects it before Rahim could get there.
20:18 (IST)
15` India 0-0 Colombia
20:13 (IST)
10` India 0-0 Colombia
India look more organised in defence tonight and aren't giving Colombia any openings. Deyman Cortes, who is leading the Colombian attacking line, wins the ball and finds himself surrounded by four players in blue. The Boys in Blue look more confident tonight.
20:09 (IST)
20:07 (IST)
5` India 0-0 Colombia
In Rahim Ali, India have someone who can challenge the Colombian defence for the long-ball and that is exactly what they are doing. But it is Colombia who have majority of the possession in the opening minutes. They win a throw-in near the Indian penalty box and opt for a long throw which Dheeraj is able to pouch comfortably. The crowd cheers each time Dheeraj gets a touch, a reflection of his performance against the USA on Friday./
20:02 (IST)
And we're off!
India will be looking for a much-improved performance tonight and with Luis de Matos opting for a 5-man defence, India will look to hit Colombia on the break with Komal Thatal and Aniket Jadhav to come off the bench in the second half.
19:54 (IST)
The mascots bearing the flags of India, Colombia and FIFA are out and the teams stream out onto the pitch along with the match officials. We are moments away from kick-off now!
19:50 (IST)
India ring in four changes as coach Luis Norton de Matos tries to change India's fortunes. Two of the better performers on Friday, Aniket Jadhav and Komal Thatal miss out. Instead, a couple of defenders in Namit Deshpande & Boris Thangjam are part of the starting lineup. Midfielder Jeakson Singh & forward Rahim Ali are also among the starters in what looks like a 5-4-1 formation.
Colombia have made the same number of changes as they choose a more attacking 4-3-3. There's no place for midfielders Brayan Gomez, Andrea Perea and Etilso Martinez.
19:36 (IST)
A lot of support for the Boys in Blue tonight!
Wherever the national team plays, they follow @BluePilgrims#BackTheBlue#FIFAU17WC#INDvCOLpic.twitter.com/BQzGbOmFzA
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 9, 2017
19:27 (IST)
The lineups are out! Four changes for India as Boris Thangjam, who was suspended for the last match comes into defence. Surprisingly, Komal Thatal, who was India's best player against the US, is on the bench. Jitendra Singh, Suresh Wangjam and Aniket Jadhav are also on the bench tonight and in their place come Namit Deshpande, Jeakson Thounaojam and Rahim Ali along with Boris.
India: Dheeraj Moirangthem(GK), Boris Thangjam, Anwar Ali, Sanjeev Stalin, Ninthoinganba Meetei, Amarjit Kiyam (C), Abhijit Sarkar, Rahim Ali, Jeakson Thounaojam, Rahul Kannoly, Namit Deshpande
Colombia: Kevin Mier (GK), Andres Cifuentes, Guillermo Tegue, Thomas Gutierrez (C), Leandro Campaz, Luis Lopez, Juan Penaloza, Yadir Meneses, Gustavo Carvajal, Fabian Angel, Deyman Cortes
19:14 (IST)
School kids wearing blue are streaming into the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium as the Indian Colts get ready to take on Colombia.
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is about to turn blue. #BackTheBlue#FIFAU17WC#INDvCOLpic.twitter.com/SSA79YEckE
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) October 9, 2017
18:53 (IST)
Hello and welcome to Firstpost's live coverage of the FIFA U-17 World Cup match between India and Colombia. Both teams lost their opening Group A matches and will be looking to win their first points tonight.
Preview: After putting up a brave fight against the USA in their Group A opener in the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, the Indian U-17 National Team coach Luis Norton de Matos asserted his side are ready to take on Colombia on Monday.
Colombia lost 1-0 against Ghana in the opening match of Group A and although the South-Americans are level on points with India (both have zero points), the Indian colts are at the bottom (courtesy goal difference).
A win for India would propel them to stay in contention for qualification for the next stage of the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Head Coach of the Indian U-17s Luis Norton de Matos wasn't willing to read much into the opposition on Saturday but said: "The team will fight to the last minute and play with confidence giving Colombia a run for their money.
"Colombia are tough opponents and they possess the necessary elements to hurt us. We have to be on our toes all throughout and have to focus on the task at hand. They (Colombia) will also give us a tough physical fight but we are ready for it.
"We will play to win. There is no other alternative for us. Every match we play is to win and if we win against Colombia we will be creating history
"The eventual target is to secure progression to the next stage whilst taking one game at a time. The strength of the Indian team is their collective ability to play football as a combined unit and we bank on that factor to help us win against Colombia."
Matos also said his wards were shy in expressing themselves in the first group-stage fixture against the US.
"Against USA, we had a nervy start and the players were shy and could not play their game against a team of the quality of USA. It was their first match ever in a FIFA World Cup and emotions can be a little hard to control when you play in front of 55,000 people for the very first time," the Portuguese said.
Meanwhile, the players are all geared up for the next challenge.
"Winning and losing are part of football. What matters is how well we recover ourselves and learn from our losses and continue to move forward," said team's star winger Komal Thatal.
"We will give it our very best as it is a do-or-die game for us if we have to remain in contention of progression," he added.
Meanwhile, Aniket Jadhav brushed aside the pressure and said: "Pressure is always there when you play football. We had pressure in the first game and we gave the USA a very tough fight. It will be there against Colombia as well, but this time we are not looking to give a tough fight, we are looking to win."
"We have already created history by becoming the first Indian team to participate in a FIFA World Cup, now we want to create history by becoming the first Indian team to win a match in the FIFA World Cup", informed Rahul KP
Skipper Amarjit Singh said: "At the same time we have huge respect for Colombia. They are one of the best teams of their region. But this is a matter of survival for us and we will do everything to be in contention of progression."
The Indian U-17s had played Colombia in a four-nation tournament in Mexico City, Mexico where the colts lost 3-0.
When asked if the team learned anything from that outing, Matos said: "Every match is a new match as every day is a new day and playing in a FIFA World Cup is a different challenge for both teams as compared with a friendly match. It will be a different setting altogether with different tactics and technicalities."
Published Date: Oct 09, 2017 06:55 pm | Updated Date: Oct 09, 2017 09:10 pm
