By Nilanjan Datta,
AIFF Media Team

India 8 (Jayananda Singh – 4^th, Prosenjit Chakraborty – 13^th, 31st and 48th^;  Jerry Lalrinzuala – 20^th, Bedashwor Singh – 33^rd and 47^th; Edmund Lalrindika – 74^th; Nuruddin – 75^th)

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Bhutan 1 (Yoesel Dorji – 41^st)

KUWAIT CITY: There were two questions, the first of which stayed how long would it take for India to score the first goal. The question found its answer in the 4^th minute itself when Jayananda Singh tapped in a Bedashwor Singh corner from the far left.

The second question stayed, how many would India score? With the cool breeze blowing across the Sabal Al-Salem Stadium in the next 90 minutes, the spectators, munching chips and sipping some cold, lost count as to how many India scored. Every time the U-16 boys, all products of All India Football Federation’s Regional Academy scored one after the other, all had to look up to the Electronic Board.

Rising high on Prosenjit Chakborty's hat-trick, India ended up scoring eight to register a 8-1 victory against Bhutan in their third match of the U-16 AFC Qualifiers. Courtesy the victory India moved upto the 7 points from three matches with their last match slated against hosts Kuwait on September 29.

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By the interval as India had scored five, the second question resurfaced again – how many would India end up scoring.

Immediately after resumption, the sixth was added to the tally – an ice-cool Prosenjit following up a Nijwm Muchahary centre to head it home and complete his hat-trick.

Thereafter, the story stayed the same. Keep possession, those deft touches at a fast pace, slow down at will. Leave aside the boys, by now it had almost become a habit for the NRIs who had dropped in to cheer to expect everything to perfection; so even that odd misspass was being hard to be accepted.

The second change was brought about in the 65^th minute – Edmund Lalrindika replacing Nijwm and immediately made an impact as Kezand Wangchuk had little option other to bring him down as he had sidestepped past him.

Even as the rival defence stood tall for the resultant free-kick, Edmund added his name to the scoresheet in the 74^th minute when he finished off a combined movement down the left. Even the youngest Team member had scored.

The very next minute, Nuruddin’s centre deflected off the rival goalkeeper Anup Ghalley to bulge the net. It was 8-1 and we were in the 75^th minute.

The second question had found its answer by then.

INDIA: Dheeraj Singh (Goalkeeper), Amey Ranawade, Jayananda Singh (Kishan Singh – 46^th), Amit Tudu, Jerry Lalrinzuala; Kharlukhi (Captain) (Aaron Rodrigues – 79^th), Prosenjit Chakraborty, Anirudh Thapa, Nuruddin, Nijwm Muchahary (Edmund Lalrindika – 65^th), Bedashwor Singh.