“This team has a fantastic future” says the India under-17 coach

2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup:After Jeakson Singh created history with the first ever goal scored by an Indian in a FIFA World Cup in their loss against Colombia, Luis Norton de Matos, Coach Indian U-17 World Cup team said he “this team has a fantastic future”

“I’ll go to sleep with the sentiment that we gave everything. It was a dream six months ago that our team will perform at the same level as a South American side. Tonight our team proved that we can play at this level”, he stated at the post-match Press Conference.

Jackson Singh Goal against Colombia

“I’m frustrated today with the result. All the teams are saying it’s difficult to play against us but we need to have more consistency in the final third of the pitch”

With the teams locked goalless at half-time, India went down 1-2 to Colombia in their second World Cup encounter in front of a 47,000 strong crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

The way India conceded immediately after equalizing was disappointing to the Portuguese, “If we scored a goal first, we had a big chance to win the game. The problem was the euphoria and happiness after the goal led to the players to losing their concentration. It was like a dream for them and it’s a pity that we lost concentration and we could have had a 1-1 draw which is a fantastic result.”

India 1:2 Colombia highlights

“The work the goalkeeping coach has achieved is incredible. We conceded mostly from set-pieces in Mexico but all three goal-keepers have improved. But Dheeraj has been fantastic and has a bright future”, lavishing some praise on the goalie.

Meanwhile Colombian coach, Orlando Restrepo, congratulated ‘the coach and Indian players for their will power’.

“The last fifteen minutes was stressful especially when India scored. It was really very intense and we had to make a lot of tactical adjustments with the way India played tonight. Both their center backs were unbelievable at their job and had a very successful game”, he added.

It was sheer heartbreak for India in the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017. A brave and unlucky India went down to Colombia 1-2 in their second Group A match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup India at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.

It was an experience for all the fans as much it was an experience for the boys on their path to better themselves into mature players.

Down by a goal scored immediately after resumption, India’s perseverance eventually paid off in the 81st minute when Jeakson Singh headed in India’s first-ever goal in any FIFA World Cup.

But Colombia broke hearts almost immediately – Penaloza capitalising off a defensive lapse to make it 2-1, his second goal of the match.

In between Colombia, despite having the lion’s share of possession all throughout, somehow managed to survive. If a blinder saved by the Colombian goalkeeper in the 15th minute and the woodwork came to their rescue in the first half; the goalkeeper’s outstretched legs saved Colombia in the 73rd minute as substitute Nongdamba Naorem’s push all addressed to enter the net.

India will face the Ghana in the last group match on 12 October.