The Indian Football Association had a good day at the office as both the Under-17 and U-23 teams bagged a victory over China and Indonesia, respectively. India U-23 secured a thrilling 2-1 victory against Indonesia, whereas India’s Under-17 side defeated China 1-0. The performances by both age groups show the growing foundation and changing football in India.
Meanwhile, the Under-17 team showed no mercy to China. The Indian side managed to bag a 1 -0 victory over China in a thrilling match played at the National Football Training Centre in Xianghe, China. The Indian team was clearly a dominating side as they have had a great improvement in the U-17 youth league scene.
Match details: U-17 vs China
India U17 football team under Bibiano Fernandes secured a 1-0 victory over China U17 in their second friendly at the National Football Training Centre in Xianghe.
Gunleiba netted the decisive goal, with Diamond Singh providing the assist.
Wangkheirakpam Gunleiba scored a decisive goal in the 75th minute as Bibiano Fernandes’ squad had a disciplined display to bounce back strongly.
The fixtures will provide momentum for the upcoming AFC Under-17 Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers, to be held in November in Ahmedabad. The Indian squads will return to Goa to continue their training camp ahead of the Qualifiers.
The younger Indian team was clearly a dominating side. India U23 football team development setup is often linked with the Under-17 program, so seeing the younger side shine will eventually help the U-23 football team.
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Implications for India U-23 and Youth Development
After the 2-1 win against Indonesia, the India U-23 football team qualified for the continental championship. The match against Indonesia was very tight. All goals came in the first half, as Naushad Moosa gained an early two-goal lead. Suhail Ahmad Bhat scored a brace in the 5th and 26th minutes before Dony Tri Pamungkas pulled one back four minutes before half-time.
Suhail Ahmad Bhat was announced as the player of the match. In the post-match interview, he stated, “We all came here intending to win. We had a good run in the AFC (U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers), but unfortunately, we couldn’t qualify. Still, the hunger is there. We want to win more; this is just the beginning. I dedicate my goals to my teammates. They worked hard until the 90th minute. Of course, scoring feels good, but it’s all for the team.”
India head coach Naushad Moosa added, “It was a difficult game, but I really appreciate the boys. Everyone was supporting each other throughout. There are still a lot of things to learn. But yeah, I did say before that it wouldn’t be easy for Indonesia.”
India and Indonesia will face each other again in a second friendly on Monday, October 13, at the Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium in Jakarta. The match will be streamed live on FanCode.
The Under-17 squad dominating China in the 17-year-old youth league signals development and depth in grassroots systems. Many of these Under-17 players could graduate into the U-23 setup in the coming seasons.
Amit Mishra’s Take
Both of the Indian sides bagged a victory. India U-23 secured a thrilling 2-1 victory against Indonesia, whereas India Under-17 thrashed China 3-0. The dominating performance by the younger side signals a better future. India’s U-23 development setup is often linked with the Under- 17 youth league, so seeing the younger side shine will eventually help the India U-23 as well. Many younger talents will be joining the U-23 squad in the upcoming years.
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