BANGKOK, Oct 24: The Indian U-17 men’s team launched its AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2025 qualifiers with an impressive 13-0 victory over Brunei Darussalam at Chonburi Stadium in Thailand on Wednesday. With 11 players scoring throughout the match, India displayed exceptional teamwork and offensive skills.
Vishal Yadav was the highlight of the match, achieving a hat-trick that included two goals in the first half and another just six minutes into the second half. India quickly took control, with Yadav opening the scoring in the eighth minute by skillfully entering the box and finishing with precision.
Md Arbash increased the lead by scoring a penalty in the 24th minute and assisted Yadav for the third goal shortly thereafter. His relentless playmaking led to Bharat Lairenjam’s goal in the 38th minute, while Mohammed Kaif capped off a dominant first half with a header from a corner, making the score 5-0 at halftime.
After the interval, Vishal quickly added to his tally, and Captain Ngamgouhou Mate took advantage of defensive lapses to score India’s seventh goal in the 61st minute. Substitute Manbhakupar Malngiang found the net in the 74th minute, showcasing the team’s depth.
Hemneichung Lunkim, who had been a constant threat, finally scored in the 82nd minute, followed by Azlaan Shah, who contributed another goal shortly after to push the score to double digits. With Brunei fatigued, Mahmad Sami and Sumit Sharma added two more goals in the final minutes, before Usham Thoungamba Singh sealed the victory with a stunning long-range shot in injury time.
India is set to play Turkmenistan on October 25, while Brunei will face Thailand later that day. This remarkable win sets a high benchmark for India in their qualification campaign.
