FIFA U-17 World Cup: Komal Thatal and Anwar Ali steal the show

Courtesy: Twitter

New Delhi: Indian football's date with destiny didn't have a fairytale ending, but it still gladdened fans who had come not expecting a win but an unlikely draw or a heartwarming effort. The Delhi crowd didn't get their first two wishes fulfilled but a couple of moments in the match made them skip a beat. Those moments didn't end in leaps of joy but definitely put a smile on the face of fans who walked back home from the Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium after India's U-17 team lost 0-3 defeat against the USA in the country's first ever FIFA World Cup match.

The stands were not full, but a concerted effort from the government upped the count, many of them being students from Delhi/NCR (National Capital Region) schools. And the crowd didn't make any bones about getting behind the team. From a Mexican wave of more than 45,000 pairs of hands to shouts of "India...India", the roar and the cheer at times were deafening, especially when the Indian boy with a blond mohawk - Komal Thatal - ran with the ball on the left flank.

"Bhaag Bhaag, chhaka isko (run run, dodge him)," said a dad who brought his kids to watch international football for the first time. His little boy was particularly attracted to Thatal's golden hair; it almost made him a fan and then confirmed as one, eight minutes into the second half.

Thatal, chased by defender and facing the converging US 'keeper Justin Garces, tried to chip the ball over the custodian. The crowd rose as the ball neared the post and then sank back into their seats seeing it sail perilously close to the crossbars. A goal would have made it 2-1 and everything to play for.

The Sikkim boy, who shares his hometown with India great Bhaichung Bhutia, shot to fame with his goal against Brazil in the BRICS tournament.

His family runs a tailoring shop back home and spotted the football prodigy in Komal when he was just a five-year-old toddler kicking everything he figured as a ball.

Some reports suggest Thatal's skills at the U-17 level aren't going unnoticed, with scouts from English giants Manchester United watching him closely.

Back in the match at JLN Stadium, India threatened more in the second half, looked organised and gave the biggest scare to US goal in the 83rd minute - via Anwar Ali.

The rocket off defender Ali's foot slammed into horizontal pole. The dad and his two kids had their hands in the air in unison. The boy shouted "goal", only to be explained by the father what happened and how close Ali came to being part of history.

The defender from Jalandhar in Punjab idolises Spain's Sergio Ramos and had his name on most lips analysing the match descending the staircase from various stands. "Agar Ali maar deta na goal, match mazedaar ho jata (had Ali scored, the match would have become interesting)," said one from a group of friends who had come to watch the game.

But the ricochet from Ali's shot hitting the post led to US counter, at the end of which Andrew Carleton made it 3-0 to put things beyond India's reach.

The India coach, Luis Norton de Matos rued those two missed chances, but the country had got two new football stars who could be heard more often. Remember the names, Komal Thatal and Anwar Ali.