Hyderabad, July 18 : Five minutes and Diwakar ‘perfect-10’ Ram. That’s all it took for defending champions India to ensure that the junior Asia Cup remains at home, winning the final 3-2 through a golden goal. Last year, India had thrashed Korea in the men’s Asia Cup in Chennai to retain the trophy, and on Friday, the juniors followed suit.
The Koreans did everything they were expected to do, and almost walked away with the title. Ten minutes to the final whistle, and leading 2-0, the Koreans could have been excused if they were already celebrating. After all, India had definitely been the better side, creating chances at will, but they almost paid for their profligacy.
India had identified their opponents’ strength to the T, but on the field, for the first 50-odd minutes, they seemed unable to execute their plans. The Koreans took off in a flash and Nam Hyun Woo scored his 10th goal of the tournament to put them ahead. Thereafter they fell back and were content crowding their striking circle, denying India repeatedly. India’s midfield of captain Gurbaj Singh and Ranjit Singh on the flanks and Vivek in the middle kept creating chances but to no avail. The Koreans were content playing a waiting game and trying their luck on counterattacks. The strategy almost paid off as they earned three penalty corners but credit to India goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. However, when he went off the field with cramps in the fourth minute of the second half, and Woo scored the second goal for Korea to become the highest goalscorer of the tournament, things appeared bleak. But never perhaps has the suspension of a player — or the presence of one — been the difference between victory and defeat in a title clash.
Five minutes of Korea playing with 10 men was the opening that India needed to be let loose. Jyon Byung Jin was shown a yellow card in the 59th minute, the Korean defence developed a weak link and Indian forwards struck. Twice, within three minutes. While SV Sunil reduced the margin by taking advantage of a goalmouth melee, a penalty corner conversion by Diwakar Ram made sure the game would go down to the wire. And it did. In the end, it was, rightfully, Diwakar who scored the winning goal for India in the fourth minute of the first half of extra time. With this win, India are assured of...
