India’s U-17 men’s national football team began their SAFF U-17 Championship title defense with an absolute bang, securing a dominant 6-0 victory against Maldives in their opening Group B fixture held in Colombo on Tuesday, September 16, 2025.
Right from the first whistle at the Racecourse International Stadium, the young ‘Blue Colts’ displayed a clinical and commanding performance. They effortlessly cut through the Maldivian defense, signaling their strong championship aspirations with a fluid and relentless attacking display. India wasted no time asserting their dominance, with Coach Bibiano Fernandes’ squad immediately taking control, employing an aggressive high press and dictating play with precise, confident passing.
Their tactical brilliance was evident as they consistently switched flanks, effectively disorganizing the Maldivian defense. Wangkheirakpam Gunleiba, in particular, proved virtually unstoppable on the left wing, his electrifying pace and impeccable crossing repeatedly carving open dangerous opportunities in the attacking zone.
The deadlock was broken in the 12th minute. Wangkheirakpam, after skillfully darting past his marker and cutting inside, delivered a superb ball into the box. Hrishikesh Charan Manavathi cleverly dummied the cross, completely fooling the Maldivian goalkeeper and allowing Dallalmuon Gangte to tap the ball into an open net. India then extended their lead to two goals in the 29th minute, once again thanks to Wangkheirakpam’s relentless effort. He charged down the left flank, then squared a low cross to Manavathi, who showed great strength to shrug off Ibrahim Avsam Abdulla and deftly guide the ball home for India’s second goal.
The Maldives struggled to mount any significant challenge throughout the game. Apart from a few hopeful attempts from Aakif Bin Mohammed and Aidh Mohammed Jaweez, they were clearly outmatched in every aspect of play, offering little in response to India’s relentless pressure.
The ‘Blue Colts’ showed no signs of slowing down in the second half, continuing their scoring spree in the 49th minute. Denny Singh Wangkhem set up Wangkheirakpam, who then delivered his third assist of the game with a precise cross across the face of the goal, allowing Kamgouhao Doungel to powerfully smash his shot into the top of the net. Wangkheirakpam capped off his outstanding individual performance with a well-deserved goal of his own in the 58th minute. Following a high ball steal by Wangkhem, he expertly shook off his defender and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that curled beautifully into the far corner. Dallalmuon Gangte converted a penalty in the 68th minute to complete his brace, and Aazim Parveez Najar added the sixth and final goal in the 86th minute, sealing a remarkable victory.