Shillong : North East XI displayed quality football and were the first to score in the match, before the India U17 World Cup Squad levelled the score 1-1, in an exhibition match organised by I-League outfit Shillong Lajong Football Club with the sole intention to help AIFF pick new players for the India U17 Squad.
Lajong organised the game between a selected North East XI Team and the India U17 squad today in Guwahati and the effort was supported on ground by Assam Football Association.
National team scouts were also present at the game today with the purpose of selecting the most outstanding players who will be part of the U-17 World Cup Probable Squad.
The first chance of the match came in for the AIFF U-17 Team colts in the 2nd minute, when Amarjit of the Indian U-17 Squad took a shot on goal but the North East XI custodian parried the shot away for a corner. Few minutes later, Amarjit was again in action and could have given his team the lead but his shot flew just whiskers past the goal.
The Indian Team has been playing several exhibition matches in the past showed immense confidence in today’s match.
The North East Team players on the other hand also displayed impressive football skills today and brilliant style of play. The boys who are hoping to get selected in the India World Cup U-17 Squad, combined excellently and pressed hard to open their account in the match. They created plenty of chances and posed many threat at their opponents’ goal. Both teams went into the break all square.
The second half started with both sides looking very eager to score goals. As game proceeded into a very interesting half, North East XI started to look very dangerous in front of goal. They continued to press forward and their efforts were finally rewarded when Fela, a player from Mizoram, in the North East XI team, was fed the ball on his feet, and made no mistake to finish the shot to give his team the 1-0 lead against the India U-17 World Cup Team.
With less than just 10 minutes left for the match, Abhijit Sarkar equalised for the India U-17 World Cup Team. The match came to an end with both teams having to settle for a draw. The National team scouts were present and the North East XI boys are hoping they have impressed them in the encounter.
In total a 22 member squad consisting of boys from 7 North Eastern states of Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura trained with Shillong Lajong FC in Shillong. Lajong’s Head of Youth Development Gumpe Rime and AIFF Coach Francisco Bruto Da Costa were overlooking the preparation for this squad.