India take on South Africa in their second match of the first-ever Brics U17 football tournament, being held in Goa, on Friday. In the first match, the Indian colts, led by German coach Nicolai Adam, were narrowly defeated with a 1-0 score by Russia at the Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Wednesday.
Although the home side couldn't go up against the mighty Russians, the defence of the Indian colts was praiseworthy. Goalkeeper Dheeraj Singh and the back four prevented the team from conceding more than one goal in the match. Among the Indian forwards, the likes of Amarjit Singh, Sanjeev Stalin and Aman Chhetri also made a mark.
However, a defeat is a defeat and Nicolai's side are determined to get their first win of the tournament on Friday.
"We have to digest the difference styles of football in this tournament," the German coach told the AIFF website prior to the game. "We have already played against the European style in Russia and now we look forward to see the African style of play.
"We are not the favourites to win the match as South Africa are physically and offensively better and stronger than us and possess the quality to score at any moment. However this is still a work in progress, and we have to strive to become better in order to ensure our competitiveness in the U-17 FIFA World Cup next year."
Schedule
India vs South Africa is set to kick off from 8 pm IST on 7 October.
Where to watch live
India: TV - DD Sports
