The mood was friendly, but the results were not. Bhutan’s U17 team was thrashed 5-1 by their friends from India in a friendly football match played at the Changlimithang stadium on Sunday.

The match was organised jointly by the Indian embassy and the Bhutan football federation to mark the Coronation celebration. More than 1,000 Thimphu residents came to watch the match.

With the average height of the Indian U17 team at 5 ft 10 in, spectators immediately dubbed the Bhutanese squad as underdogs when the two teams appeared on the ground. The Indian boys with their skills enthralled the spectators, but it took them 30 minutes to find the back of the Bhutanese net.

Striker Lalrindika opened the flurry of goals at the half-hour mark when he neatly placed the ball in the corner, following a clinical pass. Bhutan came close to getting an equaliser but striker Ngawang Tshering hit the woodwork.

Six minutes later, India’s Manandeep brought off a brilliant header to score the second goal before the first half.

Manandeep got his second by getting around the keeper in the 51st minute. Six minutes later, the lead was made more than comfortable when Malasawmfela pulled off a stunning header to net the fourth goal.

Taking full advantage of a poor defense, India’s Prem Kumar scored the fifth goal in the 75th minute. India could have made it half a dozen but missed by an inch when a powerful strike from Milan Singh hit the goalpost. In the dying minutes of the game, Chimi Dorji scored Bhutan’s only goal after the ball bounced back from the India goalie.

Chief guest Dasho Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck gave away the trophies and medals for the runners-up and winners.

Source: Kuenselonline