India thrash Bahrain 5-0 in Qualifiers

Tashkent: India continued its impressive show in the AFC U-16 Championship Qualifiers by thrashing Bahrain 5-0 to notch up its second big win in the tournament here on Friday.

Striker Sridarth and winger Shubho Paul were the star performers of the Indian team as they scored a brace each, while Bahrain keeper Mohamed Hasan Jaafar conceded an own goal in the first half.

The India U-16 boys had beaten Turkmenistan 5-0 in their opening match on Wednesday.

The Indians got the early goal they were looking for through striker Sridarth in the fourth minute when he beat the offside trap and was played through by Yoihenba.

India kept knocking on the doors of Bahrain goal and got its second through opposition goalkeeper Mohamed Hasan Jaafar, who spilled a cross from Pritam Meetei into his own net in the 25th minute.

Sridarth was on form again as he made an entry into the Bahrain box, and slipped it past the keeper to make it three in the 27th minute.

Shubho Paul made it four on the stroke of half-time. He made an interception inside the Bahrain area, dummied an opposition defender and planted the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

It was an even contest in the second half but the damage was already done. India coach Bibiano Fernandes then brought in Himanshu Jangra on for Sibajit Singh, while he opted to go with the hard-working Ratanbi in place of Taison Singh.

Meanwhile, Isac Zomuanpuia came on for Sridarth to add some variation to the set-pieces.

With less than 20 minutes of regulation time to go, Shubho scored the fifth goal for India in the 73rd minute as hit the net after Bahrain goalkeeper spilled the ball yet again. With this win, India now move on to six points in the group with 10 goals to its kitty.