New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The India U23 men’s national team pumped five past Bhutan in the U23 Tri-Nation Championship 2026 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, on Saturday.
Suhail Ahmad Bhat (51’, 81’) scored a brace, while Ricky Meetei Haobam (44’), Tomba Singh Haobam (79’), and Muhammed Ajsal (85’) netted one each.
This victory takes India to the top of the table in the U23 Tri-Nation Championship. The Blue Colts are level on points (three) with Tajikistan, who had defeated Bhutan 1-0 earlier this week.
The India U23s, coached by Naushad Moosa, were at Bhutan’s throats from early on, and missed a number of early chances. However, it was in the 23rd minute that they, quite literally, knocked upon the Bhutan goal.
Adison Singh Thokchom surged up the right flank and whipped in a cross that swerved mid-air and headed towards the top corner; to Bhutan goalkeeper Locho Nima’s relief, it crashed into the crossbar and out of play.
The Blue Colts kept knocking, and finally had the lead minutes before the half-time whistle, when Ricky struck the ball from outside the box to beat the goalkeeper, planting it into the bottom corner.
Buoyed by the goal, the home side came out all guns blazing in the second half and doubled their lead within six minutes of the restart. Adison, who was played through into the Bhutan box, squared it with the outside of his right foot to Suhail, who calmly poked it past the keeper.
India looked intent on building a bigger lead and came close to scoring more on a couple of occasions. In the 71st minute, Ajsal was played through behind the defence and tried to chip the keeper, but Bhutan defender Gayden Rinchen was alert to the danger and cleared it off the line.
Bhutan captain Pema Zangpo pulled off a goalline clearance of his own, just a few minutes later, when Huidrom Thoi Singh was played through on the right after an intricate free-kick. The India substitute drilled it goalwards, as the ball slipped through the goalkeeper’s legs. Zangpo, alert to the danger, rushed in to head it off the line.
The floodgates truly opened in the 79th minute, when substitute Tomba Singh Haobam blasted one from outside the box, into the bottom corner, making it 3-0. A couple of minutes later, Suhail was played through on the right, rushed into the box and laced it to bulge the net, adding India’s fourth goal.
Suhail turned provider for India’s fifth goal, as he chipped an aerial through ball to Ajsal, who ran in between the defensive lines to take a touch inside the box, and finish.
With the match finally coming to an end, the India U23s moved to the top of the table. The Blue Colts will now play Tajikistan in the decider on March 31 at the Golden Jubilee Stadium at 19:00 IST.
The Blue Colts will need a draw to win the tournament, while Tajikistan will require three points.
–IANS
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