The Indian Under-16 men’s football team has been drawn into a group with Indonesia, Vietnam and the Islamic Republic of Iran for the Asian Football Confederation’s Under-16 Championships to be held in September 2018 in Malaysia.
India qualified for the tournament as one of the six best runners-up after going unbeaten in their qualifying group, where they drew 0-0 with Iran and 2-2 with Nepal, before defeating Palestine 3-0.
This will be India’s eighth appearance at this level and only the second time that they have qualified for successive tournaments after appearing at the 2002 and ‘04 championships.
Their opponents, Iran, qualified for the tournament by winning their group against Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Bhutan. Indonesia also qualified as group winners against Thailand, Timor-Leste, Laos and Northern Mariana Islands.
Vietnam finished as runners-up to Australia in a group that also contained Cambodia and Mongolia.
At the last AFC U-16 Championships held in Goa in 2016, India finished last in their group, drawing with Saudi Arabia but losing their other matches to UAE and eventual runners-up Iran.
Group A: Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Tajikistan
Group B: North Korea, Oman, Yemen, Jordan
Group C: Iran, Vietnam, India, Indonesia
Group D: Iraq, South Korea, Australia, Afghanistan
