India’s Under-20 Football Team Scripts History, Defeat Six-Time U-20 World Cup Winners Argentina 

India’s under-20 football team made history on Monday (6 August) after it defeated Argentina, 2-1 in the ongoing COTIF Cup being hosted at Valencia, Spain. Argentina is considered one of the most successful teams in the U-20 format, having won a record six world cups in this age group.

As reported by Times of India, India which was participating in the COTIF tournament for the first time had suffered a setback in the first game when it lost to Mauritania 1-0. The ship soon stabilised after the boys played an encouraging draw with Venezuela, who had finished runners-up in the 2017 U-20 world cup.

This was followed by a historic victory against Argentina, despite the Indian team getting a man sent off in the fiftieth minute.

As described on the AIFF website, India took the lead in the fourth minute with a goal by Deepak Tangri, and doubled its lead via a stunning free kick from 35 yards out by Anwar Ali.

Argentina pulled one goal back in the seventy-second minute, but it was enough for India to seal a historic victory.

The victory, unfortunately, wasn’t enough for India as it failed to qualify for the next round.

Following the game, India’s newly appointed coach Floyd Pinto called it one of the “biggest days in Indian Football”. Pinto had taken over the coaching reins from former coach Luis Norton De Matos just 10 days ago.

The success story of Indian football was not limited to the U-20 side as hours before its victory over Argentina, India’s U-16 team defeated Iraq 1-0. Iraq is the reigning AFC U-16 champion.