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India made a scintillating start to their Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U20 Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers campaign, defeating Syria 1-0 at the Do'stlik Stadium in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Monday, August 31, 2026.
Shami Singamayum scored the decisive goal in the 86th minute, finishing a fine move involving substitute Md Arbash to give the Blue Colts a winning start to their Group B campaign. It marked India's first-ever competitive win over Syria in the U19/U20 age group. India was made to withstand sustained Syrian pressure for much of the contest, but they never wavered. Mahesh Gawali's side dropped deep, soaked it up and displayed impressive defensive organisation to record another clean sheet, their fifth in succession following four shutouts in their pre-qualifier friendlies, as per a press release from the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Syria threatened from distance during the first half, with Alan Mamo testing India goalkeeper Suraj Singh Aheibam with a right-footed effort. Suraj responded with a critical save, parrying the ball behind for a corner. Abdulrahman Al Sarraj also tried his luck from outside the penalty area, but his attempt was collected comfortably by the confident Indian custodian. Syria continued to push forward and nearly broke the deadlock from a set-piece shortly before half-time. Mamo floated a corner towards the far post, where a miscued Syrian volley fell invitingly for captain Belal Almooslee. His resulting header, however, missed the crossbar by inches. The pressure continued after the restart. In the 58th minute, Al Sarraj cut the ball back for Mahmoud Alhasan, whose chipped attempt was kept out by the alert Suraj. Syria went closer in the 73rd minute. Mamo delivered a cross from the left wing and substitute Ahmad Khalaf rose high to meet it, but his header struck the crossbar, offering India a much-needed reprieve. With Syria having enjoyed the better of the attacking opportunities, Gawali turned to his bench in an effort to change the complexion of the game. Md Arbash, Prashan Jajo and Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam were introduced as part of a triple substitution in the 79th minute, before Omang Dodum joined them four minutes later. The changes shook things up and injected fresh energy into India's attack. Seven minutes after coming on, Arbash played a crucial role in the move that decided the match. Shami orchestrated the attack by attempting to send the ball into the space behind the Syrian defence. When Alhasan slipped, Arbash reacted quickly and ran onto the loose ball inside the penalty area. He then cut it back towards Shami, who had continued his run into the box. With no Syrian defender tracking him, Shami took full advantage of the space and time afforded to him, calmly slotting a fine left-footed finish into the back of the net. The goal sparked jubilant celebrations in the Indian dugout. India remained composed during the closing stages to protect their slender advantage and complete a memorable victory. The Blue Colts will next face Uzbekistan on September 3 at 19:30 IST. (ANI)
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