Image Courtesy : AIFF/Twitter
In their final game of the SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship campaign on Tuesday, March 28, 2023, the India U-17 women displayed bravery before falling to Russia. In the tournament, the Young Tigresses finished third, winning two games and losing two. This game was played after India defeated Bhutan 9-0. However, they knew they were up against it against the most dominant team in the tournament. Russian players rotated possession and controlled the game, ensuring India had little time to play with the ball. Despite being up to the task, India’s defence fell victim to a goalkeeping error in the 10th minute.
Khushi Kumari looked comfortable when Vasilisa Avlienko’s long-range attempt swerved dangerously. As a result of misjudging the curve, the youngster dropped the ball into the net. After a clumsy foul in the box, Russia was awarded a penalty three minutes later. An excellent conversion by Daria Kotlova doubled their lead.
They almost succeeded when Arina Kadigrob and Uliana Obukhova mishandled a routine save in the second half. As a result, Sibani was able to sneak in. A winger took advantage of their dallying to snatch the ball, but Obukhova prevented her from running free. After that, the Young Tigresses faced few and far between opportunities. They placed their bodies behind the ball to prevent further conceding and force the game to the end. The young team had a valuable learning experience. India won the fair play award, and Shilji Shaji was the tournament’s highest scorer.
𝐅𝐔𝐋𝐋 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄! A brave performance ends in defeat. #RUSIND ⚔️ #SAFFU17Womens #BackTheBlue 💙 #ShePower 👧 #IndianFootball ⚽ pic.twitter.com/qF8waLMSAm
— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) March 28, 2023