India U20 suffered a 4-2 loss against Iran in their opening game of the AFC U20 Asian Cup qualifiers, played at the Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium in Kuwait City.
Iran took the lead within the first couple of minutes, setting the tone for the game right from the onset. However, Gurkirat Singh was able to get the Blues back on level terms shortly after. They headed into the tunnel with the lead, thanks to a goal from Maheson right before the break.
India U20 handed loss in opening game of Asian Cup qualifiers
The second half saw the India U20 team concede three goals and surrender their lead. Sadeeq Shaheen gave his side the advantage, slipping past the Indian defense to score.
A deflected cross from Azad Kalouri also found the back of the net in the 71st minute which extended their lead. There were several close chances for Gurkirat Singh, as well as Suhail Bhat and Amandeep. However, their efforts missed the mark and they could not score a couple to get back into the game.
The defense and midfield struggled to get a hold on the game over the 90 minutes. And this allowed Iran to be the more dominant side, which clearly reflects in the scoreline. India will be hoping for a better performance when they return to the pitch on Sunday against Australia.