Iran scrape past India TFA Blue, to meet Uzbekistan in Final

Jamshedpur (UNI)- Strong contender Iran moved into the finals, going pass India TFA Blue (2-1) with the help of an injury-time goal in the JRD Tata Cup International Invitatioinal Football Tournament (U-19) at the JRD Tata Sports complex here today.

With today's win, India TFA White's hope to earn the final berth was dashed. A draw would have taken the Stephen Constantine's side into the final. Now Iran, who had five points before the match, bagged eight points from four matches while TFA White lagged behind by a solitary point.

Keeping the tradition of the Indian teams in this tournament, the rejuvenated India TFA Blue played attacking football, creating umpteen opportunites and finally missing the target.

In the first half TFA blue striker Lalampuia missed an open net.

Taking advantage of a serious defensive lapse, Iran captain Milad Nori tapped a ball from the midfield and gave a measured pass to the advancing striker Milad Midavoodi, who chipped the ball home over goal keeper Subhasish Roy Chowdhury in the 31st minute (1-0).

Iran could not increase the tally till the breather, despite mounting pressure on the TFA blue side.

The second half saw many ups and downs as the India TFA Blue came with vengeance. Constatine, replaced as the Blue team's coach in place of Satheevan Balan, who was sick today, made one change by dropping striker Lalampuia with S Kuttimanni to sharpen the attack.

In the later half of the second half, the Blue team tried desparately for the much-needed equaliser, which they get in the 83rd minutes of play when captain Lekini Suiting, who sweated hard in the midfield, collected the ball from the midfield and passed the ball in the left and overlapping defender Sumit Thapa tapped the ball to romp home with the help of powerful left footer in the 83rd minutes (1-1).