AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers 2026: India qualify with shock win over Iran – The Away End

The whistle had barely passed the umpire’s lips when the Indian dugout emptied in a wave of euphoria. Players sprinted across the pitch, substitutes and staff joined those who had fought for every inch on the evening in Ahmedabad. There were tears, hugs, fists raised to heaven. The Blue Colts had accomplished what seemed nearly impossible for long stretches of the game.

India came from behind to beat IR Iran 2-1 in their final Group D match at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad to seal qualification for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, marking their 10th appearance in the tournament’s history.

Iran, with seven points, went into the match as favourites, undefeated and needing only a draw to progress. With four runs, India needed nothing less than a win.

And when Amirreza Valipoor struck in the 19th minute and calmly finished after a defensive assessment, the task seemed to become even greater. But this young Indian side refused to accept their fate. First they equalized through Dallalmuon Gangte when the striker converted a penalty in the 45+1 minute, before Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam scored the winner in the 52nd minute.

The win meant India moved to seven points, level with Iran but ahead in terms of head-to-head and enough to qualify against a powerhouse in Asian youth football.

The early story belonged to Iran. They pressed sharply, moved the ball fluidly and forced Indian goalkeeper Rajrup Sarkar to make two crucial saves, first tapping away a long-range effort from captain Mahan Beheshti in the 10th minute and moments later keeping out a fierce volley from the same player after Jafar Asadi broke through on the left. Iran looked ruthless, calm and collected.

Yet India persisted and never allowed panic to arise despite Iran’s territorial superiority. They tested the waters with speculative shots from distance and tried to break Iran’s structure by quickly shifting the ball into the wide channels. Nothing seemed to break Iran’s disciplined defense line.

Then came the moment when everything changed.

Just before half time, a corner from the left caused chaos in the Iranian penalty area. As bodies collided and the ball swung dangerously, Heranganba Seram was brought down. The referee pointed straight to the spot. Dallalmuon Gangte stepped up cold from the pressure and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way in the 46th minute. India had its lifeline, and with it, its faith.

Revitalized, India started the second half with renewed purpose. And the winner came in the 52nd minute, born from an Iranian mistake. Defender Amirmahan Afrooziani failed to clear a looping ball, and Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam, unmarked and unhurried, capitalized with a strong finish past goalkeeper Bardiya Dorri. Against all expectations, India led 2-1.

Iran responded with urgency and came forward relentlessly. Beheshti’s dangerous free-kick in the 64th minute drew another acrobatic save from Sarkar. Crosses rained in, shots deflected off the legs and India’s penalty area became a battlefield. But the courageous, determined and unyielding Indian backline held firm.

As the minutes ticked by, Iran became increasingly frantic, while India controlled the pace with remarkable maturity for their age and delivered a performance of immense character. When the final whistle finally blew, it confirmed a victory forged in resilience, faith and heart and sealed an unforgettable evening for India’s young heroes amid 4,928 fans in Ahmedabad.

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Palestine defeated Chinese Taipei and ended on a high

Earlier on Sunday afternoon, 10-man Palestine defeated Chinese Taipei 3-1 in an inconsequential Group D match to end the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 qualifiers on a high.

For Palestine, Yazan Khalifah (33rd minute), Adam Kafafi (75th) and Mohammed Jamhour (88th minute) were on target as they recorded their first win of the tournament. Chinese Taipei struck in the 52nd minute by Ou Yang-qi. Palestine’s Ahmed Hamadna was given marching orders after seeing his second yellow of the match. The win saw the West Asians finish the tournament in fourth place in Group D with five points, while Chinese Taipei finished last with a single point.

AIFF media