SAFF U20 C’ship: India crush Pakistan

Male: Led by Omang Dodum’s brace, India delivered a strong performance to crush Pakistan 3-0 and advance to the semifinals of the SAFF U-20 Championship here on Thursday.

The high-octane clash at the National Football Stadium saw the Blue Colts secure their spot in the semifinals while simultaneously eliminating Pakistan from the tournament.

In just the third minute, Gurnaj Singh displayed exceptional vision, floating a perfectly weighted through ball into the box.

Vishal Yadav, who is the third youngest player to make his Indian Super League (ISL) debut for Punjab FC, controlled the aerial pass brilliantly under immense pressure and slotted it past the Pakistan goalkeeper at the near post to give India an early 1-0 advantage.

While Pakistan created several opportunities in the first half, the Indian defence and goalkeeper Suraj Aheibam stood tall, making crucial saves to maintain the clean sheet.

The second half, however, belonged entirely to Omang Dodum, who stepped up to seal the victory with a spectacular brace and was deservedly named the Player

of the Match.