Gay looks to maintain momentum

Uzbekistan celebrated a 7-0 mauling of Singapore but coach Robert Gay is hoping the hosts don't lose focus against Iran.

TASHKENT – Uzbekistan coach Robert Gay has called on his side to continue their impressive form when they take on Iran in their second Group A match in the AFC U-16 Championship on Monday.

The hosts enjoyed the best possible start to the tournament on Saturday as they crushed Singapore 7-0 but Gay is aware that their clash against Iran at Pakhtakor Stadium will not be as easy for his side.

"The match against Iran will not be easy because they have won the first match and they are a tough side," said Gay.

"We know them very well as we have previously played against them and they are a serious team.

"We will try our best to motivate the players after the big win against Singapore and I hope that they can show us good football just like they did in the first match," he added.

Iran enter the game in buoyant mood following their 2-0 win against Bahrain but coach Ali Doustimehr expects a stern test from the well prepared Uzbeks.

"I believe that Uzbekistan are the strongest team In our group due to the fact that they are well prepared," he said.

"The Uzbekistan Football Federation has prepared this team for the past few years and they have shown how good they can be.

"Despite beating Bahrain in our first game, there is still a chance for all four teams to progress including Singapore," he added.

"At this level, you can't say who will win as the results are unpredictable."

Singapore’s Japanese coach Kageyama Masanaga will be hoping to have a full squad at his disposal for their game against Bahrain on Monday after missing eight players against Uzbekistan due to illness and late arrivals.

"We still have two matches to play and we have tried everything to help the players recover from the shock of the first match," said Masanaga.

"I watched the video tape of the match and hopefully we can learn from it.

"We just hope that the players who missed the game have recovered and we will try our best to motivate them to put on a good show because we still have a chance."

Bahrain’s Tunisian coach Hosni Zouaoui was also optimistic about his side’s chances despite their loss to Iran.

"We have only lost one match and we still have a chance to qualify from the game," said Zouaoui.

"We must win against Singapore before our last game against Uzbekistan which will be hard."

"Everything is possible in football and we still have a chance and I think that there will still be a chance in the last round of matches," he added.

Source:The AFC.com

Lee set to ring the changes

Korea Republic coach Lee Kwang-jong looks set to make some changes from the side that defeated India 5-2.

TASHKENT – Despite his team’s storming win over India in their AFC U-16 Championship opener, Korea Republic coach Lee Kwang-jong insists that changes could be made for Monday’s Group B meeting with Indonesia.

Winners of the event in 2002, the Koreans made their intentions clear with an emphatic 5-2 opening day win, while Indonesia slumped to a 2-1 defeat to Syria.

But as he looks to fine tune his squad with a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup available, Lee could look to his bench to plot Indonesia’s downfall and put Korea in a strong position to secure a quarter-final berth.

“There are a few things I am considering, but there will be some changes in our formation and system. We will also look at the weak factors defensively as we need to sharpen things up,” said Lee.

“We have 23 players, I am really happy with our bench as there is depth and I am not concerned with the quality.

“Our objective is to not only qualify for the world championship, but make an impact. We want to win this competition and in order to do that we have put an importance on winning and topping the group.”

Despite the defeat Indonesia coach Mundari Karya was pleased with his team’s display in their defeat by Syria, but is well aware of the task they face against the skilful and well drilled Koreans.

“Korea are one of the biggest sides in Asia, they reach finals a lot. But we will be prepared,” he said.

“Maybe there will be some changes, but we will stick to our plans, defend strong and counter-attack. It will be a very tough and difficult game.”

Following their defeat by Korea, India technical director Colm Toal was quick to point out his side are still in the hunt for a place in the quarter-finals and is hoping to see a positive response against Syria.

“Before the Korea game they were the favourites and I am sure no one is surprised by the result. We have no excuses, they were much better,” said Toal.

“We must put the last game behind us, learn from it, and, hopefully show some character and determination to bounce back.”

Syria will look to build on their opening day success after coming through their tricky opener.

“Our game against India is a step towards the quarter-finals which is our goal,” said coach Kifork Mardakyan. “We will play to win.”

Source:The AFC.com

AUS 3-1 KSA: Points in the bank delights Crook

Australia coach Martyn Crook was delighted with the Joeys' 3-1 win over Saudi Arabia.

TASHKENT – Coach Martyn Crook was delighted as his attack-minded Australia side kicked off their AFC U-16 Championship campaign with a comfortable 3-1 win over a dangerous Saudi Arabia on Sunday.

Stephen Domenici, who has only recently returned from a stress fracture in his back and is still short of fitness, struck twice in the first half before captain Brendan Hamill added the third, while in a rare attack Saudi Arabia grabbed a late consolation through Nawaf Al Ghamdi.

“You always want to get off to a winning start and we are pleased with the result. They are a very good team, we expected a tough game and it was a tough game so I am very happy,” said Crook.

“We have got some good attacking players with a lot of flair and it is one of the things we like to encourage. I also think we did well defensively. The benefit for us is that our attacking players are hard working defenders and it is a good combination if it comes off.”

While he was delighted with his entire team, Crook highlighted the performances of two-goal hero Domenici, goal scoring centre-back Hamill as well as right back Chahine Noujaim, who stepped in at the last minute following an injury on Sunday morning.

The results leaves Australia at the top of the Group C alongside China, but after the first round of games, Crook was still cautions over naming a definite title contender.

“I like Japan, Korea, Iran, Uzbekistan played very well, Saudi will be a tough team to beat, but it’s day one, there are a lot of nerves, a lot of young players who have not played on this stage and sometimes you don’t see the true calibre of a team on day one,” he added.

“But when the nerves go they grow and get better so all you want from day one is three points in the bank.”

Counterpart Joaquim “Kika” Filho was left to rue defensive mistakes, but is confident Saudi Arabia can bounce back on Tuesday against Turkmenistan.

“We made individual mistakes in defence, but the midfielders and strikers played well, although we struggled to force our style of play on the game and we hope to do better against Turkmenistan,” said Kika.

“The defence and goalkeeper got confused at crucial moments and this should not happen in football and when it does these mistakes are deadly.”

Source:The AFC.com

AUS 3-1 KSA: Domenici double downs Saudis

A double from Stephen Domenici helped Australia defeat Saudi Arabia 3-1.

TASHKENT – Stephen Domenici scored twice as Australia opened their AFC U-16 Championship account with a confident 3-1 victory against Saudi Arabia on Monday.

Domenici struck a double within 15 first-half minutes before captain Brendan Hamill added the third at the start of the second half to seal a convincing victory against a Saudi side who grabbed a late consolation through Nawaf Al Ghamdi after failing to test Australia goalkeeper Robert Kolak for the majority of the contest at Pakhtakor Stadium.

The results leaves Australia at the top of Group C alongside China, who had earlier needed a late strike from Guo Yi to edge out Turkmenistan 2-1.

Neither side took control of the opening exchanges as they were both forced to settle for the odd brief counter-attack and speculative long-range effort.

But with 15 minutes played, Domenici found himself in between two Saudi defenders following a flick on from strike partner Eli Babalj before calmly slotting the ball past advancing Saudi goalkeeper Fawaz Al Khaibari from just inside the area.

Eight minutes later Babalj struck the foot of the post from the edge of the Saudi area with Al Khaibari beaten and scrambling across the face of his goal before Kamal Ibrahim headed over as Australia looked to increase their lead midway through the first half.

With Saudi struggling to find a way into the contest Domenici added a second on the half hour mark as he easily danced past defender Abdullah Al Hafith to cut into the left side of the area before beating an exposed Al Khaibari at his near post.

Three minutes before the break striker Musab Al Otaibi had Saudi’s first real shot in anger as he pulled a low strike from the edge of the area comfortably wide of Kolak’s upright.

Australia added a third four minutes after the break as Saudi Arabia had several attempts to clear a right wing corner before Trent Sainsbury headed into the path of Hamill, who rifled into the bottom corner low across Al Khaibari.

Al Khaibari denied Australia a fourth with 15 minutes remaining as he dived low to his left to save from Nikola Stanojevici after the striker allowed a low cross from substitute Danai Gapare to roll across his body.

With six minutes remaining Al Ghamdi was allowed time on the edge of the Australia area to find the bottom corner despite Kolak getting a hand to the dipping effort.

Source:The AFC.com

YEM 1-1 UAE: Al Arfi upset at penalty denials

The UAE thought referee Vo Minh Tri should have awarded them two penalties during their 1-1 draw with Yemen.

TASHKENT – UAE assistant coach Salem Al Arfi and Yemen coach Sami Al Nash were at odds on the performance of Vietnamese referee Vo Minh Tri after the two sides drew 1-1 in their Group D opener on Sunday.

Mohammed Greef put Yemen ahead after 21 minutes at MHSK Stadium but UAE levelled the score with a 35th minute free-kick from Fahad Salim.

However, Al Arfi was far from pleased with the referee’s handling of the game.

"We had a good game tonight but the only difference in the game was the referee," he said.

"We deserved to have two clear penalty kicks in the game but the referee didn't give it to us.

"I confess that we made some mistakes tonight but the referee made a lot of mistakes and these were crucial mistakes which affected the result of the game.

"If we had one of these two penalties then things would have been different," he added.

"We could be dissatisfied with the performance of the referee but this is football at the end of the day."

Yemen coach Al Nash disagreed with Al Arfi’s assessment of Minh Tri’s performance.

"The referee was good tonight although there were some slight mistakes," said Al Nash.

"UAE scored the equaliser from an undeserved foul outside the area but we respect the referee and his decisions.

"I would like to thank UAE for the competitive game. Both teams had equal chances to win the game and the contest was exciting although the match finished in a draw.

"We had a slow start in the game because we were a little bit cautious and didn't want to open the game right from the beginning," he continued.

"When the players started to get into the game, things were good for us.

"We ordered the players not to open the game in the back and to have a good defensive balance

"As the game progressed, we knew the key points for UAE and we started to attack but unfortunately we couldn't score more goals."

Spurce:The AFC.com

YEM 1-1 UAE: All square in Gulf derby

UAE midfielder Gharib Khamisi chases down Yemen forward Hasan Al Hubaishi as the Gulf nationa clash in their AFC U-16 Championship Group D opener.

TASHKENT – Yemen and the United Arab Emirates shared the points after a 1-1 draw in their opening Group D match at the AFC U-16 Championship on Sunday.

Yemen broke the deadlock at MHSK Stadium with a 21st minute strike by Mohammed Greef but UAE levelled the score in the 35th minute when Fahad Salim fired home a powerful free-kick.

Both teams struggled to create chances early on but the deadlock was broken just before the midway point of the first half when Yemen launched a quick counter-attack down the right flank with Ali Nasser sending a neat pass to Greef who beat Ahmed Al Balooshi to the ball before putting the ball past UAE goalkeeper Eesa Abbas in a one-on-one situation.

Yemen nearly doubled their advantage nine minutes later when Greef sent in a cross from the right to Mohammed Al Shamsi whose powerful shot from inside the box was well stopped by Abbas.

The Yemenis continued to threaten and went close again in the 32nd minute when Waleed Al Hubaishi’s corner was met with a first time volley by Wesam Al Worafi that was cleared off the goal-line by defender Saeed Adel before hitting the right post.

That miss proved costly as UAE levelled the scores shortly afterwards when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the Yemen area and Fahad Salim stepped up to fire a powerful shot which nicked off the defensive wall on its way into the net.

UAE began the second half well and nearly went ahead four minutes after the break when Yaser Salman’s powerful volley from inside the area shaved the left upright.

But they had a scare a minute later when Al Worafi’s shot from outside the box flew directly at Eesa Abbas who unintentionally dropped the ball before catching it again on the goal-line.

Both teams continued to press for a winner with Mohamed Hussain going close for UAE with a shot from distance while Al Worafi put a volley just wide of the right post.

Yemen nearly got the winner with 10 minutes left when Waleed Al Hubaishi’s cross from the left was headed over by Ahmed Al Khamri while Al Worafi put a shot straight at Abbas four minutes later.

Source:The AFC.com

CHN 2-1 TKM: Belief saw us through says Zhang

China coach Zhang Ning hailed his side's self-belief as they edged Turkmenistan 2-1 in their AFC U-16 Championship opener.

TASHKENT – Coach Zhang Ning hailed his side’s belief and determination after China edged out Turkmenistan in their AFC U-16 Championship Group C opener on Sunday.

China dominated the contest at Pakhtakor Stadium and had the majority of the chances, but Turkmenistan looked liked they had done enough to earn a point until Guo Yi’s 83rd minute sliced cross beat goalkeeper Kurbanmurad Karayev at his near post.

“We always believed we could win the game which was important. We knew it would be difficult and it was difficult, but we had belief we could win,” said Zhang.

“There is a strong spirit within the team and that is very important in a game like that.”

China had dominated from the start but fell behind as Didar Durdiyev’s 30th minute free-kick handed Turkmenistan the lead against the run of play.

But the lead lasted just two minutes as Nan Yunqi equalised for China with a near post finish.

In the second half, China continued to dominate but they failed to convert as Karayev denied Guo and Jiang Xiaochen, while Zheng Kaimu blazed into the side netting and Sun Dong fired wide, until Guo’s late heroics which left the Turkmenistan devastated.

Zhang, who admitted his lack of knowledge about the Turkmenistan team made his task difficult, was quick to acknowledge the performance of Karayev and his defence but will hope for more quality in front of goal in Tuesday’s meeting with Australia.

“The Turkmenistan goalkeeper and defence performed very well. But we should have more self-confidence when we have chances and take them, they need to learn that,” he added.

“The Turkmenistan team were very well prepared and did very well in defence. We had a lot of chances, but that does not mean our strikers played badly, Turkmenistan’s defence played very well.”

Like Zhang, Turkmenistan coach Amanklych Kochumov admitted his lack of information about his opponents was a disadvantage but was pleased with his side’s display.

“We did now know anything about China, we did not have any information and did know what to expect. We knew they have a lot of experience and are strong, but it was hard as we did not know what to expect,” he said.

“I am pleased with the way the team played, they played to the plan, but we were always going to struggle as we did not know anything about our opposition and how they would play.”

Source:The AFC.com

CHN 2-1 TKM: Guo seals win for China

China forward Jiang Xiaochen tries to muscle his way through the Turkmenistan defence in their Group C opener.

TASHKENT – Guo Yi’s 83rd minute strike secured a deserved 2-1 win for China in their AFC U-16 Championship Group C opener against Turkmenistan at Pakhtakor Stadium on Sunday.

China dominated for the majority of the contest but fell behind as Turkmenistan opened the scoring against the run of play through Didar Durdiyev’s 30th minute free-kick.

The advantage lasted just two minutes as Nan Yunqi equalised with a neat close range finish, and after China failed to convert a host of second half chances and domination, Guo netted to hand his side all three points and leave hard-working Turkmenistan devastated.

China had Turkmenistan pinned inside their own half from the start but failed to find the target as Guo fired wide inside the first minute and Nan headed over from Wang Jian’s deep left wing cross.

Turkmenistan goalkeeper Kurbanmurad Karayev was called into action after nine minutes as he turned away Nan’s snapshot from inside the area before Zheng Kaimu flashed an effort wide.

Nan should have handed China a 22nd minute lead but after beating the Turkmenistan offside trap, scuffed his shot from the edge of the area which allowed an exposed Karayev to scramble the ball clear.

But it was the Turkmen who opened the scoring against the run of play. China captain Yu Rui upended a flying Yhlas Magtymov 20 yards from goal and Durdiyev curled the set piece over the wall and past the despairing dive of China goalkeeper Zhang Zhenqiang, who had previously been untroubled.

China, though, fired an instant response as Nan out-muscled his marker to met Jiang Xiaochen’s low cross at the front post.

In the closing stages of the first half Sun Dong had an effort deflected wide, while at the other end Zhang saved Dovran Allamyradov’s low drive.

Six minutes before the hour Karayev turned Guo’s rising shot from just inside the area over the crossbar before the custodian palmed away Jiang’s skidding low shot from distance.

Zheng blazed into the side netting after meeting Gou’s cross at the far post before Sun fired wide from the edge of the area as China continued to dominate without reward.

But with just seven minutes left on the watch, Guo was allowed time on the left side of the area and his attempted cross sliced off the outside of his foot and squeezed inside the upright past Karayev.

Source:The AFC.com

JPN 4-0 MYS: Malaysia made it tough says Ikeuchi

Japan struggled against a resilient Malaysia despite running out 4-0 winners admitted Japan coach Ikeuchi Yutaka.

TASHKENT – Japan coach Ikeuchi Yutaka admitted that his side had a hard time against Malaysia despite their emphatic 4-0 win in their opening Group D at the AFC U-16 Championship on Sunday.

Midfielder Takashi Usami scored a goal in each half at MHSK Stadium while Gaku Shibasaki and substitute Takumi Miyayoshi notched one each to give the defending champions the perfect start.

But Yutaka said that it was no easy task for his side especially early on when the Malaysians kept them at bay.

"The beginning of the game was difficult because Malaysia had a good start and it wasn't easy to control the game," he said.

"That's why we had to wait until the 32nd minute open the scoring.

"We couldn't control the game very well in the early minutes and that gave Malaysia a chance to have a good game.

“We could only keep the ball in our half and that was not useful.

"However, we won the game at the end and that is the most important thing for us.

“We showed our strength in the game but to be honest we struggled until the end."

Malaysia coach Lim Kim Chon praised the performance of his team in their first international match since July but felt that Japanese experience was the key factor in the final result.

"This was our first international match since July as we didn't play any international matches in the last two months," said Lim.

"Our players managed to contain Japan in the first 30 minutes and they had a good performance.

"We gave Japan a scare most of the time but I think that their experience played a big part to help them for this win.

"We had some chances and the result would have been different if we had scored first.

"The boys don't have enough experience but they performed well to my expectations," he added.

"The match was good experience for them and they struggled also in the heat.

"There were some moments when our players lost concentration and that's why Japan scored two goals in three minutes in the first half and another two in five minutes in the second period," Lim concluded.

Source:The AFC.com

JPN 4-0 MYS: Japan power past Malaysia

Defending champions Japan proved to strong for Malaysia, running out 4-0 winners in their Group D opener.

TASHKENT – Takashi Usami scored twice as defending champions Japan scored two goals in each half in a 4-0 thumping of Malaysia in their opening Group D match in the AFC U-16 Championship on Sunday.

Gaku Shibasaki opened the scoring at MHSK stadium with a superb strike after 32 minutes and Usami doubled the advantage for the defending champions two minutes later as the Japanese took a 2-0 lead at half-time.

Substitute Takumi Miyayoshi added a third in the 65th minute before Usami netted his second of the game five minutes later to complete the rout.

Japan went on the offensive from the opening whistle and had their first opportunity after only three minutes as Usami’s free-kick from the left was headed wide by Ryuki Nakajima.

The Japanese had another chance four minutes later when Shibasaki received a long pass in the box and attempted to chip the ball over the advancing Malaysian goalkeeper only to send the ball wide.

Malaysia’s best opportunity early on fell to Mohammad Saidin, who headed a Mohamad Fandi cross from the left against the crossbar.

The chances continued to stack up as Malaysia goalkeeper Zulfadhli Bin Mohamed did superbly to deny Keisuke Kanda in the 23rd minute while at the other end, Saarvindran Devandrn sent a shot wide two minutes later.

However, Japan were not to be denied just after the half-hour as Shibasaki launched a long-range missile from 30 yards, which sailed past Zulfadhli into the top right corner of the Malaysian net.

Usami extended the advantage with a fine individual effort two minutes later, beating three Malaysian defenders before firing home a shot from outside the area to make it 2-0.

Malaysia had a good start to the second half and should have pulled a goal back four minutes after the break when Saarvindran’s cross from right was headed wide by Gary Steven.

But the Japanese added a third five minutes after the hour when substitute Miyayoshi scored with his first chance, beating defender Mohammad Saidin before firing the ball into the far right corner of the net.

Japan sealed their win five minutes later as Usami pounced on a half clearance by the Malaysian defence before firing a powerful low shot past a helpless Zulfadhli.

Source:The AFC.com

Japan coach Ikeuchi Yutaka thinks all four sides are in with a chance of advancing from Group D.

TASHKENT – Japan U-16 national team coach Ikeuchi Yutaka believes there are no favourites in this year's AFC U-16 Championship as his side start their title defence against Malaysia in Group D on Sunday.

Japan won the title two years ago but Yutaka insists their past success counts for nothing with other team’s eager to win the tournament this year.

"We have the same goal that we had in the previous edition of the competition," said Yutaka.

"However, the other teams will be fighting in order to win the top prize as well.

"There are no favourites now and it is going to be very hard to qualify to the next stage. Our first match against Malaysia will not be easy because they are a good team and they can give us a hard time."

Malaysia coach Lim Kim Chon was optimistic ahead of the game even though his side qualified only as a result of the disqualification of DPR Korea from the qualifiers.

"There is always pressure when you play the first game," said Chon.

"There will be even more pressure on us because our first game will be against the defending champions and it will not be easy.”

The other match in the group will feature a fight between two West Asian teams as UAE will tackle 2002 finalists Yemen.

And UAE coach Ali Ibrahim knows how important the first game is.

"The first match is decisive and it could put us half way through to the quarter-finals," he said.

"We have prepared for all the matches and we're hoping to have a good start.

"Yemen are always good at this level and the match will not be easy," he continued.

"We have watched them in an international friendly tournament in Tunisia and their players are good."

Yemen coach Sami Al Nash warned that there could be surprises in this year's tournament and is optimistic his side can make a good start against UAE.

"The match against UAE is important and both teams know each other very well," said Al Nash.

"The game is important for both teams and the winners will have a good start."

"We hope to have a good performance and get a result and I'm optimistic that we can play well.

“All 16 teams in the finals have a chance to go through to the quarter-finals and I think there will be a lot of surprises."

Source:The AFC.com

Crook on the prowl for more success

Australia coach Martyn Crook (right) believes his side is in the toughest of the four AFC U-16 Championship groups.

TASHKENT – Australia coach Martyn Crook is prepared for a tough AFC U-16 Championship opener against Saudi Arabia at Pakhtakor Stadium on Sunday as his side look to plot their way out of a testing Group C.

Australia are looking to carry on from July’s ASEAN Football Federation U-16 Youth Championship triumph in Indonesia and hope success in the Uzbekistan capital can secure a place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.

But Australia and Saudi Arabia have been drawn in Group C alongside China and Turkmenistan and Crook is well aware the task facing the Joeys.

“We know Saudi Arabia’s reputation, record and their recent good results,” said Crook.

“The first step is to qualify for the world stage, if we can do that, then we can look at winning the tournament.

“On paper, we have been handed the toughest group as China will be very strong, but we have a team who are capable.”

Saudi Arabia’s Portuguese coach Kika insists Australia are one of the favourites for the title, and even though he concedes his side are behind Australia and China, maintains they have set their sights set on advancing from the group.

“We do not have a lot of information about Australia, we have not seen them, but we know they are very strong,” said Kika.

“You cannot compare the teams of China and Australia with Saudi Arabia as we start taking care of our players at 15 and 16, but they start when they are nine and 10. This means we are at a disadvantage.”

Meanwhile, China scored 28 goals in qualifying from their group with a 100% record and hope to continue their form against Turkmenistan.

“We want to gain a lot of experience and improve our level and help build a strong relationship in the team,” said coach Zhu Jin Xing.

“We don’t know a lot about Turkmenistan, but we have managed to acquire some information. The first match is very important and we will try out best.”

Despite the tough task facing his side, Turkmenistan coach Amanklych Kochumov is confident his team can match up to China and has his sights set on the knockout stage.

“If we did not believe we could qualify, we would not be here to fight. This first game is very important for us and we must start well,” he said.

“We do not have any information about them, but also they do not know us.”

Source:The AFC.com

Mardakyan relief after 'nervy' win

Syria coach Kifork Mardakayan was relieved to see his side edge Indonesia 2-1 in their AFC U-16 Championship opener.

TASHKENT: SYR 2-1 IDN - Coach Kifork Mardakyan was relieved after Syria came through their AFC U-16 Championship opener against Indonesia with all three points after recording a 2-1 win on Saturday.

Substitute Mohammad Ali, who had only been on the field at MHSK Stadium for a minute, headed home Mohamad Bashbauk’s free-kick five minutes after the hour mark to secure a winning start for Syria, who joined fellow opening day winners Korea Republic at the top of Group B.

“The first match in any tournament is always the difficult one as the players are nervous. We had to get the three points and we have achieved our goal,” said Mardakyan.

“It is always important to get the three points in the first game as this is an important first step in any competition.”

Syria qualified for the championships with a 100% record and took a 25th minute lead in the tight contest as Rabie Jmhaa rose unmarked at the far post to head home Bashbauk’s cross after Indonesia goalkeeper Beny Yoewanto could only turn away Hameed Medo’s low shot from the edge of the area.

But they were pegged back eight minutes before the break as Mario Vava’s far post volley from Agamal Fahreza’s deep free-kick crept over the line past a host of Syrian defenders on the line.

But Mardakyan’s substitution paid off as Ali stepped off the bench to secure all three points and send Syria into Monday’s meeting with India full of confidence.

“Our team can do better,” added Mardakyan.

“Our preparations were not as good as we wished. We did not play as many friendly matches as we would have liked.

"The schools have also just started which made it difficult, but I am sure we can play better and improve as the tournament goes on.”

Despite the setback, Indonesia coach Mundari Karya was pleased with his side’s display but is hoping for a more clinical touch in front of goal in Monday’s meeting with Korea.

“We are satisfied because the players did what we wanted,” he said.

“The age of our squad is very young, the average is under 15, and that lack of experience showed as we wasted several opportunities.

“We tried to defend strongly and attack on the counterattack, the boys worked to the plan, but we missed chances.”

Source:The AFC.com

Mohammad Ali delivers knockout blow

Syria (in red) edged Indonesia 2-1 in their Group B opener

TASHKENT – Substitute Mohammad Ali scored with virtually his first touch to hand Syria a 2-1 win against Indonesia in their AFC U-16 Championship Group B opener on Saturday.

Only a minute after coming on as a second half substitute, Ali headed home five minutes after the hour mark to help Syria join Korea Republic, who earlier eased to a 5-2 win over India, at the top of Group B on the opening day of the tournament in the Uzbekistan capital.

Rabie Jmhaa’s 25th minute header had sent Syria, who qualified for the championships with a 100% record, on their way until Mario Vava pulled Indonesia level before the break.

Chances were limited in the opening exchanges at the MHSK Stadium until Indonesia goalkeeper Beny Yoewanto was called into real action after 17 minutes to push away Mahmoud Al Maowas’ strike from the edge of the area before the custodian turned away Hameed Medo’s low strike.

But after Yoewanto failed to hold onto Medo’s 25th minute effort, the ball broke into space on the right and collected by Mohamad Bashbauk, who crossed to the far post for Jmhaa to rise unmarked and head home.

Syria’s lead did not last until the break as Agamal Fahreza’s 37th minute right-wing corner was met at the far post by Vava, and despite the cushioned volley lacking power and a host of defenders on the line, the ball found its way through to nestle in the bottom corner.

Four minutes before the break Jmhaa’s quick feet created himself space on the edge of the area but, with Beny rooted to the spot, his effort struck the upright.

Yoewanto was called into action to turn Fuaad Al Sliman’s cross over the bar as it looked to be sneaking in at the front post moments later.

Much like the first half, the second period was mainly consigned to the midfield with neither goalkeeper called into action.

But six minutes after the hour mark, and just after replacing Medo, Ali met Bashbauk’s deep free-kick from the right to head over Yoewanto to regain the lead for Syria.

With just over a minute remaining Indonesia’s Hendra Adi Bayauw broke down the Syria left, but after being forced wide, could only fire into the side netting.

Source:The AFC.com

Doustimehr: Tactical changes key

Iran coach Ali Doustimehr pointed out that tactical changes were the key to his side's 2-0 win over Bahrain.

TASHKENT – Iran coach Ali Doustimehr believes tactical changes were key as his side defeated Bahrain 2-0 in their opening match of this year's AFC U-16 Championship at Pakhtakor stadium on Saturday.

Iran struggled to score in the first half before they opened the scoring after 72 minutes through Rayam Sadeghian while Kaveh Rezaei sealed the win with only seven minutes remaining.

"We met Bahrain in the qualifiers and we defeated them 7-0 in Tehran so they knew us well," said Doustimehr. "We knew that they would defend their area and play with defensive tactics."

"Bahrain played with five players at the back and after they were tired in the second half we changed our system to play on the flanks and that helped us to open the scoring.”

Doustimehr added that his team had a good game but refused to name a player who had the best performance.

"The defensive tactics of Bahrain made it hard for one player to shine and that's why all of our players had a good game and their performance was good," he added.

Bahrain coach Hosni Zouaoui conceded that the individual skills of the Iranian players made the difference.

"Iran are one of the best teams at such level and we have previously lost against them in the qualifiers," he said.

"We tried our best to stop them in the first half but the individual skills of their players gave them the win tonight.

"The main problem that we had tonight is that our midfielders and strikers didn't have a good game and that's why we couldn't create any good chances.

"We knew that Iran would attack right from the beginning and that's why we tried to force them to play long balls. We were successful in the first half but in the second they changed their system to 4-3-3."

"Our players couldn't adapt to the change that the Iranians made and they lost the balls easily which gave the Iranians more chances to attack.”

Source:The AFC.com

Second-half salvo seals Iran win

Kaveh Rezaei celebrates scoring the second as Iran defeat Bahrain 2-0.

TASHKENT – Two second-half goals steered Iran to a 2-0 win over Bahrain in their opening Group A match of this year's AFC U-16 Championship at Pakhtakor Stadium on Saturday.

After a goalless first half, Iran opened the scoring in the 72nd minute through Rayam Sadeghian before Kaveh Rezaei sealed the win with only seven minutes left on the clock.

Iran had the first chance in the game after 12 minutes when Bahram Dabbagh sent a cross from the right that was headed by Rayam Sadeghian past advancing goalkeeper Ahmed Abdulrasool.

However, the ball slammed against the left upright before Bahrain midfielder Hussain Jalil cleared the ball to safety.

Bahrain continued with their defensive tactics as they spent most of the first half in their own area and their only chance came after 20 minutes when Sayed Dhiya Saeed shot went directly into the hands of Iran goalkeeper Iman Sadeghi.

Iran continued their dominance in the remaining minutes of the first half and should have opened the scoring shortly before the half-hour mark when Mehrdad Yeganeh sent a cross from the left that was met with a first-time shot by Rezaei, but the ball went wide.

Afshin Esmaeilzadeh fired a powerful effort from outside the area that went inches above the crossbar after 34 minutes and soon after Dabbagh’s shot went wide.

Iran’s pressure carried on into the early minutes of second half and they nearly scored after 55 minutes when Sadegh Pourmohammaddoust played a free kick from the left that was headed over the crossbar by Dabbagh.

Iran’s pressure eventually paid off in the 72nd minute when Sadeghian made his way past three Bahraini players before firing home from a tight angle.

Iran had a chance to double their advantage three minutes later when Rezaei latched onto a pass from Sadeghian and lobbed the ball over goalkeeper Abdulrassol but the ball went over the crossbar.

However, Rezaei eventually scored with seven minutes left on the clock as he received the ball from a quick attack before beating the advancing Bahrain goalkeeper with a shot from outside the area.

Rezaei had a chance to score his second goal of the night and the third for Iran after 85 minutes as he had only the goalkeeper to beat but his shot went into the side netting.

Source:The AFC.com

Kageyama laments illness, absentees

Singapore coach Kageyama Masanaga revealed that five of his players took ill on the eve of their AFC-16 Championship opener against hosts Uzbekistan.


TASHKENT - Singapore coach Kageyama Masanaga revealed that a number of his side had been struck down by illness as the Cubs slumped to a 7-0 defeat to hosts Uzbekistan.

The Japanese tactician revealed that he was missing eight of his key players as five of them had to go to hospital before the game while three of them arrived on the night of the game.

"It's a disappointing defeat as five of our players had to go in the hospital last night (Friday) due to fever and diarrhoea," said Masanaga.

"Also three of our players will arrive tonight as they had exams in high school in Singapore."

Uzbekistan were 3-0 up by half-time through goals from Abdumutallib Abdullaev, Ayubhon Gapparov and Maksim Utkin while Aleksandr Galeev scored twice and Abdumutallib Abdullaev and Utkin added two more in the second half.

And despite being without eight players Masanaga admitted that his team suffered from lapses in concentration at key moments in the game.

"Uzbekistan played well tonight and our players didn't have good chances to score. The problem that we had is that the players struggled in the early minutes to adapt to the game.

"In the last minutes of the first-half and early in the second, things were good but in the last 10 minutes of the game the players lost it and some of them changed their positions and that's why we conceded four goals."

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan coach Robert Gay was understandably delighted with his side's emphatic over the Cubs.

"The big score reflects the good game that we had today and our strikers successfully did what they were supposed to do," said the Russian.

"We needed to get such a big result because it could help us later on."

Gay added that his players were initially overawed by their surroundings and paid tribute to the fans that turned up to support the side.

"It is the first time that our players have played at such a big stadium and that's why we couldn't instruct them well. I want to thank the spectators who attended the game and supported our players."

Ayubhon Gapparov suffered an injury in the second half and had to leave the pitch but Gay allayed fears his injury was serious.

"Gapparov’s injury is not serious and I think that he will be ready for the next match,” added Gay.

“We will try to prepare him and the other players for the next match against Iran because it is very important."

Source:The AFC.com

Hosts tame Singapore's Cubs

Midfielder Maksim Utkin celebrates finding the net in Uzbekistan's 7-0 romp over Singapore.

TASHKENT – Hosts Uzbekistan made the ideal start to this year’s AFC U-16 Championship after breezing to a comfortable 7-0 win over Singapore at Pakhtakor Stadium on Saturday.

Uzbekistan took the lead after nine minutes through Abdumutallib Abdullaev’s spot kick before Ayubhon Gapparov made it 2-0 after 20 minutes and just two minutes later Maksim Utkin scored his side’s third goal.
The Uzbeks added a fourth in the 79th minute through substitute striker Aleksandr Galeev before Abdumutallib Abdullaev continued the rout with another after 86 minutes.

Galeev scored his second goal on the night three minutes later and Utkin completed the scoring in the 90th minute.

Uzbekistan got off to a fine start when they were awarded an early penalty after Oyatullahon Muhiddinov was fouled by Singapore defender Kenneth Chang and Abdumutallib Abdullaev scored from the spot.

Boosted by the goal, Uzbekistan attacked with confidence and should have doubled their lead after 15 minutes when Maksim Utkin edged Muhammad Shahfiq before shooting wide.

But the second soon came when Ayubhon Gapparov beat Muhammad Firman to the ball before going down the left side of the area then scoring with a powerful shot in the 20th minute.

Just two minutes later it was 3-0 as Utkin let fly with a right-foot shot from 25-yards that sailed into the top right corner and past the helpless Cubs keeper Ng Jia Fa.

Singapore had a chance to pull a goal back after 58 minutes when Ali Hudzaifi’s shot from outside the area was put behind for a corner by Uzbekistan custodian Oybek Talipov.

The hosts went close in the 67th minute when Ayubhon Gapparov’s effort hit the upright before Bobur Abdurakhmonov’s follow-up was diverted for a corner by Ng.

However, Uzbekistan added the fourth goal in the 79th minute when Abdumutallib Abdullaev’s cross beat the Singapore keeper and substitute striker Aleksandr Galeev made no mistake with the goal at his mercy.

Uzbekistan scored a fifth goal with four minutes left on the clock as Akramjon Bahritdinov sent a free kick from defence that was headed home by Abdumutallib Abdullaev.

There was still time to add two more goals as Galeev received a neat pass inside the area and though he initially hit the left upright he followed up to put the ball into the net with one minute remaining.

Utkin then capped off a fine night for Uzbekistan with a seventh goal in the 90th minute with a powerful shot from outside the area.

Source:The AFC.com

Flying start for five star Koreans

Lee Min-soo (right) surges past India skipper Bikramjit Singh during Korea Republic's emphatic 5-2 win.

TASHKENT – Lee Chang scored twice as Korea Republic kicked off their AFC U-16 Championship bid with an emphatic 5-2 win over India at MHSK Stadium on Saturday.

In the tournament opener Korea, the 2002 winners, scored at the start of each half through Kim Dong-jin and Lee Chang.

A header from captain Rim Chang-woo and a strike from Lee Chang either side of the hour mark comfortably saw off the India challenge in the Uzbekistan capital.

Lalrindika Ralte grabbed two late consolations for India while substitute Son Heung-min rounded off the scoring for Korea.

Korea made an ideal start to the contest as they opened the scoring after just three minutes when a quick free quick from just outside the area caught the India defence cold and Kim Dong-jin found space on the left to rifle a first time rising shot across goalkeeper Jayanta Paul.

India were almost handed an equaliser just before the half-hour mark as a long ball over the top landed between goalkeeper and defence and as Korea custodian Kwon Tae-ahn hesitated, Prem Kumar got a toe to the ball but poked his effort narrowly wide.

Lee Chang wasted two chances to add to the lead before the break but Korea made an equally impressive start to the second half as just two minutes after the restart Lee Chang effortlessly weaved his way into the India area past four defenders before rolling the ball past a helpless Paul.

Four minutes later captain Rim Chang-woo headed home Lee Jong-ho’s left-wing cross to extend Korea’s advantage.

Moments after replacing Mun Hyo-min, substitute Son broke to the byline and sent a low cross across the face of goal which was bundled home by Lee Chang at the far post a minute after the hour mark.

Korea’s bid for a clean sheet was ended with 21 minutes remaining as Ralte fired home from inside the area after an indirect free-kick was awarded when the Korean goalkeeper was adjudged to have collected a back pass.

Son restored the advantage after 73 minutes, but Ralte converted a free-kick from inside the area with three minutes remaining after the Korean goalkeeper was adjudged to have held onto the ball too long.

Source:The AFC.com

Lee: More to come form Korea!

Korea Republic coach Lee Kwang-jong said there is still room for improvement despite seeing his side hammer India 5-2

TASHKENT - Coach Lee Kwang-jong fired an ominous warning after insisting Korea Republic are not the finished article despite beginning their AFC U-16 Championship challenge with a convincing 5-2 win over India.

Lee Chang scored twice, while Kim Dong-jin, captain Rim Chang-woo and substitute Son Heung-min also netted for 2002 champions at the MHSK Stadium, while goalkeeper Kwon Tae-ahn was at fault for a late double for India’s Lalrindika Ralte.

“It was our first match and they looked a little heavy,” said Lee.

“The players were not as sharp as we expected them to be but I am satisfied and hopefully we can progress as we go on in the tournament.

“India have progressed over the years, but they were not up to our abilities.”

Despite the empathic nature of the win, Lee hinted there could be changes in terms of formation and personnel ahead of Monday’s meeting with Indonesia.

Kim, after just three minutes, and Lee scored at the start of each half to send Korea on their way before Rim headed home to extend the lead.

Lee added a second just after the hour mark before Kwon was adjudged to have collected a back pass to allow Ralte to convert from the resulting free-kick.

Son restored the advantage but Ralte again capatalised on an error from Kown, this time the custodian held onto the ball too long with the game drawing to a close, to claim some pride for India.

Coach Lee added: “Our goalkeeper showed a lack of judgment, but that happens at this age and hopefully we can address that.”

India Technical Director Colm Toal was quick to concede his side were beaten by the better side, but insisted the tournament was far from over despite the setback.

He was upbeat after his side created several chances in the first half while 1-0 down, the most significant being when Prem Kumar saw his effort narrowly role wide after capitalising on a defensive error.

“We played against a superior team and we were well beaten,” he said.

“Maybe we played against the most outstanding team in the group; maybe we played against the most outstanding team in the tournament, but the most important things for us is that the tournament is not over.

“There are still two matches to play and if we can get six points we have a good chance of coming second.”

Source:The AFC.com

A Tribute To Indian Football's Unknown Hero

The Celtic Football Club was the first European club to sign an Indian.

Contrary to what people say, Baichung Bhutia, is not the first Indian to transfer to a European club. The correct answer would be Mohammad Salim. Being an Indian, from Calcutta, it was in the 1930’s when Salim was signed to play for Celtic.

At the time Salim was born, Indian’s were still under the British rule, although the fact that they played barefoot, and didn't have enough players, they managed to defeat the Englishmen, who wore boots.

A member of the renowned Mohammeden Sporting Club, Salim had claimed five consecutive Calcutta senior league titles. Following his title win in 1936, Salim was requested to take part in two friendlies.

His cousin, Hasheem from England, was visiting Calcutta at the time and watched his first friendly. After seeing Salim's spectacular display, Hasheem insisted Salim try his luck at European football.

It must have been tough to take a barefoot, amateur Indian football seriously, but due to Hashim’s determination and diligence, the Celtic manager settled with giving him a trial. Salim's skill amazed him, and he decided to play him in a match against Hamilton Academical Football Club.

Soon, he astonished the crowd and supporters alike—establishing himself to be immensely talented. Salim played for a few months in Scotland, after which he said he got homesick and sought to go back to India.

After returning, he played for his preferred Mohammeden Sporting Club in the Calcutta football league.

Rashid, Salim’s son, later revealed that his father was undoubtedly desired by the Celtics, "Celtic tried to persuade my father to stay by offering to organise a charity match in his honour, giving him five percent of the gate proceeds. My father did not realise what five percent would amount to, and said he would give his share to orphans who were to be special invitees for the match. Five per cent came to £1,800 [colossal money then] but although my father was astonished, he kept to his word," Rashid said.

Salim’s story should be legendary, but it seems to be buried deep within the pages of the past—fading away slowly into a distant memory.

It is astounding and unjust that he is not referred to as the initial Indian to play for a European team. In his obituary, his celebrated time with Celtic FC seemed to have been forgotten, and only the Indian side of his football has been brought to the reader’s eye.

Several years later, Rashid wrote to Celtic informing them about his father’s distress and poor health due to old age. He wrote of the money required for Salim’s treatment.

Rashid said, "I had no intention of asking for money. It was just a ploy to find out if Mohammed Salim was still alive in their memory. To my amazement, I received a letter from the club. Inside was a bank draft for £100. I was delighted, not because I received the money but because my father still holds a pride of place in Celtic. I have not even cashed the draft and will preserve it till I die."

Salim was an exceptional player whose role was key in bringing his first team, Mohammeden to its' glory. Not only exceptional at winning games, Salim also managed to capture hearts of fans and critics, too.

Although Salim holds a place in the heart of the Celtics, it astonishes me that he is hardly recognised in the history of Indian football.

Was he a nobody? Is this reasonable? Will today’s superstar Baichung Bhutai, be shunned into nonexistence in several years? Will he, too be left out when another young, legend-in-making, comes in to the picture? Or if some controversy happens to place its mark on Mohun Bagan.

What is it about India and mixing sports with politics? Will this ever stop? India is a country filled with passion for sports, whether its cricket, football or hockey. Why should we corrupt this with politics, or money, or even unnecessary cover-ups. It’s time to stand up for football, for its history and make this the start of a new era in Indian football.

Source:Bleacher report