Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], November 13 (ANI): The India U17 men's team opened their AFC U17 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2027 Qualifiers campaign with a 4-2 triumph over Singapore, but the Blue Colts know there is still plenty of work to be done in the pursuit of a place at next year's tournament.
“There are always areas to improve, even after a good result,” said head coach Mehrajuddin Wadoo, according to a press release from AIFF media.
One game down, three to go. Their next opponents will be Guam on Saturday, 14 November, 2026, at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
This encounter will mark the first-ever meeting between the two sides at the U17 level. While India rested on Matchday 1, Guam have already played and lost two games in the Qualifiers — 0-6 to Singapore and 0-5 to Palestine.
While the win over Singapore gave India an encouraging start, the Blue Colts had to earn every bit of it. After a patient start, India fell behind before recovering, only to be pegged back again. However, Wadoo’s side held their nerve and struck twice in the final seven minutes, with Dallalmuon Gangte completing a memorable hat-trick before Ristik Maity sealed the victory with his 89th-minute strike — his first-ever goal in an India shirt.
Gangte’s three-goal haul drew praise from the head coach, who was delighted with the midfielder’s performance.
"I am very happy for Gangte. Scoring a hat-trick at the international level is a special achievement, and he deserves credit for his performance. I hope he continues to work hard, stays humble and keeps improving," said Wadoo.
“Scoring four goals is always encouraging, and I am happy with our attacking performance. Even when Singapore came back to level the score, our players remained composed and created chances. However, we need to understand that every game brings a different challenge,” said Wadoo.
While pleased with the team’s attack, Wadoo still believes there remain other areas his side will focus on ahead in the qualifiers.
"I would like to see more consistency in our defensive organisation and better concentration throughout the 90 minutes. We also need to manage important moments of the game better, especially when we are leading. We need to be more clinical with the chances we create and make better decisions in the final third. At this level, getting the small details right can make a big difference,” he said.
"We respect Guam as an opponent and are preparing for them with the same seriousness as we did for Singapore. At this level, every match presents its own challenges, and we cannot afford to underestimate any opponent,” Wadoo said.
Yet for Wadoo, preparation for the second fixture is as much about getting his own side right as it is about analysing the opposition.
"Our focus will be on our own strengths, maintaining our intensity, controlling the game and executing our tactical plans effectively," he said.
With three points already on the board, India will look to maintain their momentum against Guam before taking on Palestine on November 17 and hosting Malaysia on November 20 in their remaining Group E fixtures. (ANI)
India hope to build momentum against Guam in AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers
