Bhubaneswar, Aug 6 : Striker Gurkirat Singh pumped in 4 goals as India routed Bangladesh 5-2 in the final to win the SAFF U20 Championship in extra time at the Kalinga Stadium here.
Both teams were locked 1-1 at the interval, and 2-2 after completion of regulation time on Friday night.
Gurkirat scored in the 1st, 60th, 94th and the 99th minute respectively, while Himanshu found the target in the 92nd minute.
For Bangladesh, Rajon Howladar and Shahin Mia netted in the 44th and 48th minute respectively.
The Indians began with a positive approach, creating a number of chances, but wasted them. The riival goalkeeper Md. Asif also made things difficult for the blue colts’ striek force on certain occasions.
The Drama unfolded right after kick-off as India U20 were awarded a penalty within 20 seconds. Himanshu collected a long pass from the right, sidestepped his marker and unleashed a long ranger which Asif managed to block, diving low to his right.
Gurkirat, lurking around, was faster to react on the rebound. Asif, in his desperate attempt to keep Gurkirat off, brought the Indian striker down inside the box. Gurkirat gleefully converted from the spot to put India into an early lead.
In the 21st minute, rival defender Shahin Mia exceptionally timed his tackle to deny Himanshu from getting into the box. Four minutes later, Gurkirat, being chased by the entire defence, deftly stopped the ball at the edge of the box, and spotting Asif out of his line, tried to lob it. But it went over.
The lead should have been doubled in the 32nd minute in what was the easiest chance of the half.An unchallenged Gurkirat cut in from the right, but failed to slot home.
The curse of missing chances hit India hard as Bangladesh restored parity at the stroke of the interval – Rajon Howladar’s shot evading the jungle of legs and bulging the net.
Changing over, Bangladesh took the lead within three minutes. Amandeep mistimed his clearance off a harmless free-kick and Shahin Mia’s rasper hit the post and rolled in.
India’s equaliser came at the stroke of the hour. A clearance fell to Gurkirat just outside the box and he banged it in with his right foot.
In the 63rd minute, Himanshu darted into the box but was unable to flick it in – an onrushing Asif clearing the danger for Bangladesh.
Four minutes later, Himanshu’s placement past Asif was a bit feeble, allowing Azizul Haque to make a goal-line clearance. Asif was also in the thick of the action when he dived to clear Bikash Yumnam’s curling centre.
Asif came up with the save of the tournament in the 89th minute, as his reflexes denied Brijesh Giri’s back-heel from entering the net.
India took the lead in the second minute of extra time (92nd minute). Himanshu followed up Harsh Patre’s delectable defence-splitting pass and finished it with a first-time left-footer.
Gurkirat completed his hat-trick in the 94th minute – this time Himanshu turned the provider, sending Gurkirat through. The latter rounded past Asif and scored from a narrow angle.
The 5th goal for India came in the 99th minute – Gurkirat scoring off another screamer. He turned past a couple of defenders and blasted it home from around 30 yards.
Gurkirat Singh was declared the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and also clinched the top scorer’s honours, while Som Kumar earned the Golden Gloves Award.