India thrash Bahrain 5-0 in AFC U-16 football qualifiers

Tabriz City, Iran: India thrashed Bahrain 5-0 in a one-sided match to begin their AFC Under-16 football qualifiers campaign on a bright note here on Wednesday.

Aman struck twice (19th, 47th minutes) while Gaston (15th), Boris (27th) and Suresh (75th) scored one apiece at the Tabriz Yadegar-E-Emam Stadium here.

Nicolai Adam's Indian boys, who could be part of the 2017 Under-17 World Cup, dominated throughout the match so much so that it turned out to be a totally one-sided encounter.

Bahrain's goalkeeper Bashar Abed was the busiest player on the pitch with the Indians, who have come here from a tour of Germany, toyed with their opponents.

The Bahrain players often resorted to foul play as a last ditch attempt to thwart the nimble footed Indians and they were reduced to 10 men in the 65th minute when striker Abdulla Jasim was flashed the red for a foul on Sarif.

The barrage of attacks started immediately after the match started.

In the 10th minute, Komal's shot hit the post and bounced back. Boris pounced on it and centered but Komal's shot was cleared off the goal line.

The livewire Boris and Ninthoi were consistently combining down the right. Ninthoi's centre was blocked for a corner in the 15th minute. Off this corner, Gaston blasted the ball onto the roof of the net to put India in the lead.

Aman doubled the lead four minutes later. Following a long ball, he beat the off-side trap and even as the goalkeeper rushed out, he lobbed it over from an acute angle into the goal.

Just as the half-hour mark approached, Boris collected the ball near the centerline, dribbled his way past a few rival players and blasted it in to the left of a diving Basher. India were 3-0 up by the 27th minute itself.

Nicolai brought in his first substitution immediately thereafter -- in 28th minute -- with Aimol replacing Gaston.

Changing over, Aniket was denied by an onrushing Basher in the 46th minute. It did not matter much as in the very next minute, Aniket with a deft touch found Aman in the clear who bulged the net with a rasping left-footer to make it 4-0.

The fifth goal came in 75th minute. The trio of Suresh, Amarjit and Aman opened up the rival defence with Suresh placing the ball home.

India next play hosts Iran in their second match on September 18.

Nicolai was cautious in his comments at the post-match press conference, despite a superb show by his boys.

"This generation is preparing for the FIFA 2017 U-17 World Cup. The (next) match against Iran is a big test for us," he said.

"It will be a very tough game. At this age, it's difficult to keep both feet on the ground but that's my job. I have to get my team ready for the next game against Iran," he added.

Bahrain Coach Abdulsaheb Abdulnabi admitted his boys were "destroyed" in the 90 minutes of play.

"India were strong in all departments and surprised us on the field," he said.

India had also beaten Bahrain 2-1 in the 2012 AFC Under-16 qualifiers in Tashkent.