Ahmedabad – November 30 (LatestNewsX) – India overturned an early deficit to beat Iran 2‑1 in the final Group D clash at the EKA Arena, a win that cements their spot in the AFC U‑17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 and tallies their 10th participation in the tournament.
The referee’s whistle blew, and the Indian bench erupted. Players ran across the field, substitutes and staff swarmed the sidelines, and a mix of tears, hugs and fists flew in the air. The Blue Colts had staged a remarkable comeback that had seemed almost impossible for long stretches of the match.
Iran entered the game with seven points, undefeated and needing only a draw to reach the knockout stage. India, on four points, required victory to secure progression.
Just nine minutes in, Amirreza Valipoor tucked a neat ball past the defender, using a defensive lapse to his advantage and putting Iran in front. But the young Indian squad refused to accept fate. A penalty moment later, Dallalmuon Gangte slotted the ball into the back‑net at 45 + 1, levelising the score. A few minutes later, Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam finished off a clean Iranian error to give India the lead.
With the result, India climbed to seven points, tied with Iran but ahead on the head‑to‑head comparison – enough to guarantee qualification against a continental football powerhouse.
In the first half, Iran seemed the dominant side, pressing hard, moving the ball fluidly, and forcing goalkeeper Rajrup Sarkar into two key stops. He tipped away a long‑range shot from captain Mahan Beheshti at 10 minutes, and earlier that minute punched out a sharp volley after Jafar Asadi cut through the left. The Iranian attack looked ruthless and composure.
India, however, stayed patient, never letting nerves bloom in the face of Iran’s territorial advantage. They poked at any openings with long‑range attempts and tried to drag the defence out of position by switching quickly to the wings, but the disciplined Iranian lines held firm.
Then, at half‑time, chaos erupted from a left‑corner. Amid the scramble in the box, Heeranganba Seram was fouled, leading the referee to send the ball to the spot. Gangte calmly transformed the penalty in the first minute of the second half, restoring India’s faith and giving them a lifeline.
Rejuvenated, the Indians pressed on, and in the 52nd minute a clean defensive miss from Amirmahan Afrooziani let Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam in unmarked. He shot powerfully past goalkeeper Bardiya Dorri, extending the lead to 2‑1.
Iran answered with urgency, launching forward attacks. Beheshti’s free‑kick in the 64th minute prompted yet another spectacular stop from Sarkar. The attack grew frantic with aerial battles and shots ricocheting around the Indian area, but the determined Indian backline held their ground.
As the clock wound down, Iran’s desperation grew, yet India matched it with composure, and the match ended with a 2‑1 result that finished a night of resilience and belief before a crowd of 4,928 in Ahmedabad.
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