![\"India-U-19-Women-Team-pose\"](\"https:\/\/indiansportsnews.co.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/11\/India-U-19-Women-Team-pose.jpg\")
Amman: It was bright sunny in the morning and from nowhere the dark clouds appeared overhead an hour prior to the kick-off. And then, as the Teams marched in, it started to drizzle.<\/p>\nAmman: It was bright sunny in the morning and from nowhere the dark clouds appeared overhead an hour prior to the kick-off. And then, as the Teams marched in, it started to drizzle.<\/p>\n
In what was a match of two contrasting halves, India U-19 Women fought their heart out but went down to a superior Uzbekistan U-19 Women\u2019s Team in the opening match of the AFC U-19 Women\u2019s Championship China 2015 Qualifiers at the Petra Stadium in Amman on Wednesday (November 5).<\/p>\n
If the first half was totally one-sided with Uzbekistan ruling roost right from kick-off, rival Goalkeeper Tilovova Laylo\u2019s reflexes denied India from equalizing in the second, and, maybe even running away with a victory.<\/p>\n
Uzbek Midfielder Kudratova, omnipresent, and operating from the hole scored a brace in the first-half itself to make the difference between the two sides, a lead which the rivals managed to hold on till the end.<\/p>\n
In the first half, Indian Goalkeeper Panthoi stayed the busiest one on the field. Her anticipation and agility kept India alive in the match, the absence of which could have settled the issue for Uzbekistan in the first-half itself.<\/p>\n
Even in the second-half when the Indians dominated, Panthoi\u2019 presence under the bar made it impossible for the Uzbeks to increase their lead.<\/p>\n
The moment it kicked-off, Uzbekistan pushed India into their own half, preferring to stretch it to the flanks, thus creating an open space from where Kudratova marshaled. They played it in the vacant spaces between the Defenders allowing space to manouvre.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, it was India who earned the first corner in the 3rd minute itself but the Uzbeks managed to thwart it off. The other chance for India came in the 19th minute but Sanju\u2019s shot narrowly missed the mark after Pyari Xaxa had sped down the right flank to set it up for her.<\/p>\n
Changing over, the Sun reappeared from behind the Clouds and the Indian Girls started on a brighter note. They activated the flanks and quite evidently the first chance came in the 48th minute but rival Goalkeeper Tilovova Laylo managed to palm off Sangita\u2019s powerful left-footer from close. Five minutes later, Laylo again came to her Team\u2019s rescue collecting Dalima\u2019s free-kick on the bounce.<\/p>\n
Head Coach PV Priya brought in two changes \u2013 Sweety Devi coming in for Muthu in the 55th minute, and then in the 62nd minute, Hemolata Devi replaced Velanie Fernandes.<\/p>\n
Uzbekistan by then had recovered from India\u2019s initial onslaught and depended more on counter-attacks. However, India again caught the Uzbek defence on the wrong foot when Dilnoza failed to read Panthoi\u2019s clearance but just managed to recover in even as Sangita was all shaped up to pull the trigger.<\/p>\n
Even as Uzbekistan began to tire a bit, India\u2019s easiest chance fell to Pyari after an overlapping Sangita found her in the clear. But Laylo stretched below to keep her effort at bay.<\/p>\n
The spring in the steps of the Indian Girls stayed till the end, evidence of which stayed Dalima\u2019s goal line clearance after Kudratova had tried to address it to the net. Dalima followed it up after Kudratova beat an onrushing Panthoi but the Indian Captain, following it up, cleared from the goalline.<\/p>\n
Another chance fell in the 85th minute but Laylo once again stood tall — this time deflecting a powerful Dangmei Grace free-kick from the top of the box for another corner. If that wasn\u2019t enough, in the 88th minute, she anticipated in time to narrow the angle for Pyari but even as the latter evaded the former\u2019s outstretched hands, Central Defender Maftune perfected her slide in time to clear from the goalline.<\/p>\n
Head Coach Priya PV lauded her girls for their fight. \u201cUzbekistan defended well. They won almost every aerial ball. But we had our chances and should have finished it off,\u201d she maintained at the Official post-match Press Conference.<\/p>\n
INDIA:<\/strong> Panthoi; Tony, Muthu Selvi (Sweety Devi \u2013 55th), Dalima Chibber (Captain), Rachita; Nikhila Thumbayil, Sangita (Margaret Devi \u2013 85th), Sanju, Gangmei Grace, Pyari Xaxa, Velanie Fernandes (Hemolata Devi \u2013 62nd). In what was a match of two contrasting halves, India U-19 Women fought their heart out but went down to a superior Uzbekistan U-19 Women\u2019s Team in the opening match of the AFC U-19 Women\u2019s Championship China 2015 Qualifiers at the Petra Stadium in Amman on Wednesday (November 5).<\/p>\n If the first half was totally one-sided with Uzbekistan ruling roost right from kick-off, rival Goalkeeper Tilovova Laylo\u2019s reflexes denied India from equalizing in the second, and, maybe even running away with a victory.<\/p>\n Uzbek Midfielder Kudratova, omnipresent, and operating from the hole scored a brace in the first-half itself to make the difference between the two sides, a lead which the rivals managed to hold on till the end.<\/p>\n In the first half, Indian Goalkeeper Panthoi stayed the busiest one on the field. Her anticipation and agility kept India alive in the match, the absence of which could have settled the issue for Uzbekistan in the first-half itself.<\/p>\n Even in the second-half when the Indians dominated, Panthoi\u2019 presence under the bar made it impossible for the Uzbeks to increase their lead.<\/p>\n The moment it kicked-off, Uzbekistan pushed India into their own half, preferring to stretch it to the flanks, thus creating an open space from where Kudratova marshaled. They played it in the vacant spaces between the Defenders allowing space to manouvre.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, it was India who earned the first corner in the 3rd minute itself but the Uzbeks managed to thwart it off. The other chance for India came in the 19th minute but Sanju\u2019s shot narrowly missed the mark after Pyari Xaxa had sped down the right flank to set it up for her.<\/p>\n Changing over, the Sun reappeared from behind the Clouds and the Indian Girls started on a brighter note. They activated the flanks and quite evidently the first chance came in the 48th minute but rival Goalkeeper Tilovova Laylo managed to palm off Sangita\u2019s powerful left-footer from close. Five minutes later, Laylo again came to her Team\u2019s rescue collecting Dalima\u2019s free-kick on the bounce.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20499,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20500","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-latest"],"yoast_head":"\n
By Nilanjan Datta,
AIFF Media Team<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Amman: It was bright sunny in the morning and from nowhere the dark clouds appeared overhead an hour prior to the kick-off. And then, as the Teams marched in, it started to drizzle.<\/p>\n