India ended a two-decade wait to qualify for the AFC Under-20 Asian Cup after securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Bangladesh at the Do’stlik Stadium in Tashkent on Sunday.
India’s qualification was confirmed after Uzbekistan defeated Syria in the other Group B fixture, allowing the Indian side to progress as one of the seven best runners-up across the eight qualifying groups.
Danny Meitei Laishram put India on course for the crucial victory by opening the scoring in the 25th minute. India strengthened its grip on the contest on the hour mark when Vishal Yadav produced an acrobatic finish to double the advantage.
Substitute Md Arbash completed the scoring in the 79th minute, finding the net with a powerful strike to seal a comfortable three-goal victory.
The result took India to six points from three matches and secured second place in the final Group B standings. Uzbekistan finished on top with a perfect nine points after beating Syria, while Syria ended its campaign in third place with three points.
Bangladesh finished at the bottom of the group after losing all three of its matches and was relegated to the Development Phase.
With only the seven best runners-up across the eight groups joining the group winners in qualification, India needed both a strong result against Bangladesh and a favourable outcome in the Uzbekistan-Syria fixture. Both requirements fell into place on Sunday, confirming India’s long-awaited return to the continental tournament.
The qualification marks a significant milestone for India at the age-group level. The country last competed in the AFC U-20 Asian Cup in 2006, when its campaign ended in the group stage.
Twenty years later, India will return to the tournament after navigating a qualifying campaign that produced two wins from three matches and six points.
The emphatic victory over Bangladesh ultimately proved decisive, with three different players getting on the scoresheet as India completed its qualification campaign on a high.
For Laishram, Yadav and Arbash, their goals helped deliver more than just three points. They ensured India will once again compete at the AFC U-20 Asian Cup, bringing an end to a 20-year absence from the competition.
