By Shoubhik Mukhopadhyay
AIFF Media Team

KATHMANDU: A game which saw four goals in the final 14 minutes of the match, failed to find a winner until the final whistle as India were held to a 2-2 draw by the hosts Nepal in the second encounter of the AFC U-16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers played at the Halchowk Stadium today (September 22, 2017).

After conceding the first goal in the 76th minute, India came back strongly riding on a terrific brace from Super-sub Harpreet (83', 86') only to concede the lead within a minute which eventually, resulted in a 2-2 draw. 

Having collected a solitary point from this match, India dropped down to the second spot in Group D with 4 points from 2 matches whereas Iraq rose to the pole position having bagged all 6 from 2 matches.

The game kicked-off in a slow pace but the boys in Blue came very close to opening the scoreline in the 24th minute when Thoiba's blistering header sailed over the crossbar.

Four minutes later, Ravi and Vikram built up an attack from the middle but the former mistimed a tapping from handshaking distance only to see the ball getting collected by the Nepalese goalkeeper.

Biaka, as Lalbiakhlua is fondly called by his fellow teammates, came to the rescue of the team time and again to prevent the Nepalese attackers from scoring in front of a decent crowd who were backing the Nepal U-16 Team right from the kick-off.

Both teams went to the dressing room locked at a nil-nil scoreline in the first 45 minutes.

Changing over, Indians changed their strategy and tried to build up the attacks from both flanks. Coach introduced Lalrokima in the left wing withdrawing Ravi in the 57th minute.

Having found the Nepalese goalkeeper out of position, Bekey poked it to the net in the 65th minute only to see it being cleared it by a defender on the goalline.

Nepal broke the Indian deadlock in the 76th minute but their joy was cut short by the super-sub Harpreet who beat the Nepalese goalkeeper from 30-yards out only 7 minutes later.

Three minutes later, he tapped a cross from Lalrokima home to complete his brace within nine minutes of joining the fray.

Nepal didn't let the crowd down as they scored the equaliser in the 87th minute to send them into a delirium.

India will face the group-toppers Iraq in their final match of the group at the same venue on September 24, 2017.

India U-16 Team: Lalbiakhlua Jongte (GK), Harpreet Singh, Moirangthem Thoiba Singh, Gurkirat Singh, Samir Kerketta, Lalchhanhima Sailo (Harpreet 77' 83' 86'), Ricky John Shabong, Givson Singh Moirangthem, Bekey Oram, Ravi Bahadur Rana (Lalrokima 57'), Vikram Pratap (C)