India wins 7 th SAFF U-17 championship

1. Tournament Victory

• In Colombo, Sri Lanka, the U-17 football team of India won its 7 th SAFF U-17 championship .
• Lost to defeated Bangladesh 4-1 in a penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw in regular time at the Racecourse International Stadium.

2. Match Highlights

• First Half: India was winning 2-1 with Dallamuon Gangte and Azlaan Shah KH goals. Before halftime Bangladesh scored one.
• Second Half: Bangladesh scored during the last few minutes in the game with Ihsan Habib Riduan to draw equal to penalties.
• Penalty Shootout: India showed great calm and changed all the four attempts and Bangladesh changed only one attempt.

3. India's SAFF Dominance

• This is the 7th title that India holds in the history of the SAFF U-17/ U- 16 championship.
• Indicates the effectiveness of continuing grassroots development initiatives and an increasing youth football ecosystem.

4. Implications to Indian Football.

• The SAFF youth tournaments provide a good platform to the young talent .
• A good number of the players in these teams graduate to the senior national team , emphasizing the value of such competitions on the development of players.
• The win highlights the increasing strength of youth football in India in the South Asian region.

5. Way Forward

• The victory gives the young team a good international exposure and experience .
• Strengthens the need to invest further in youth development activities and age group tournaments.
• Lays a good background towards future international competitions at higher levels .