India U-17 face Colombia in their second Group Stage match
Days after losing the opener against USA, the India U-17 team take on Colombia in the Group A tie later today. It is a must win match for both the sides, as both are yet to accumulate any points. India lost 0-3 to USA, Colombia too were left beaten 0-1 by Ghana, in the their first games. Let us know more about this match!
Points table standings - Group A
As it stands, USA top Group A table with three points, followed by Ghana with same points and a lesser goal difference. Colombia are third while India occupy the bottom of the table.
What changes could the Indian side see?
Right-back Boris Singh, out with suspension in the first match, will most likely be included in the starting XI, replacing Rahul Kannoly. The probable starting XI could be like this- Dheeraj Singh (GK), Boris Singh, Anwar Ali, Jitendra Singh, Suresh Singh, Sanjeev Stalin, Amarjit Singh (C), Komal Thatal, Abhijit Sarkar, Nongdamba Naorem, Aniket Jadhav.
The players will fight to win says coach de Matos
India coach Luis Norton de Matos said, while he is aware of the difference in quality between the two teams, the players will fight hard against the Colombian opposition. He added, "I would like to win. But, I believe if you can't, you should try to draw. I never want my team to lose and we will surely fight for a result."
About the Latin American opposition
Colombia have competed in five editions of the U-17 World Cup in the past and finished third on two occasions. They managed to qualify for the 2017 edition after a last-ditch victory over Paraguay. Considering the fact that they will be up against the weakest team in the group, the South American opponent will be desperate to open their account by beating the hosts.
Probable Colombia line-up
Probable starting XI Colombia - Kevin Mier (GK), Robert Mejia, Andres Cifuentes, Thomas Guttierrez, Juan Penaloza, Andres Filipe Perea, Etilso Martinez, Jaminton Campaz, Deiber Caicedo, Yadir Meneses, Deyman Andres Cortes.
