Football
Singapore 2-4 India: Gangte Hat-Trick Fires Blue Colts to Winning Start in U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers
Dallalmuon Gangte scored three, including a penalty, and Ristik Maity added a late fourth as India came from behind, then pulled ahead again after Singapore levelled at 2-2, to win their opening Group E match in Kuala Lumpur.
India’s under-17 side opened their AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers campaign with a 4-2 win over Singapore in Kuala Lumpur. Captain Dallalmuon Gangte scored a hat-trick, and Ristik Maity, who started on the bench, scored the fourth in the 90th minute.
Goal minutes are taken from the match broadcast clock and may differ from the official report. Teams and officials are from the official AFC start list.
Singapore strike first, India answer within two minutes
Singapore took the lead in the 27th minute through their No. 9, Ahmad Izzan Rifqi. The goal followed an India clearance, and a replay appears to show the ball striking the Singapore forward’s arm before he scored. Whether the referee should have called a handball is a fair question; play was allowed to continue.
India levelled almost at once. In the 29th minute, No. 22 Sailex Oinam sent a cross into the box, and captain Gangte controlled it in mid-air with his right foot, turned and finished with his left. It was a composed finish under pressure, and the half closed at 1-1.
A penalty, a header and a 2-2 scoreline
India won a penalty in the second half, and Gangte, leading from the front, converted it in the 61st minute to make it 2-1.
Singapore did not stay behind for long. From a corner, Rifqi headed in his second of the match, and it was 2-2 around the 65th minute.
Gangte completes the hat-trick
Dallalmuon Gangte
Three goals: a controlled, turning finish from a cross (29′), a penalty (61′) and the winner (83′).
For the third, a hard strike after the Singapore goalkeeper had blocked a shot from his teammate.
The winner came in the 83rd minute. No. 20 Raj Singh Wahengbam ran down the right flank and beat two defenders, and a Singapore clearance fell to No. 16 David Mangang Irom. He faked a shot with his right foot and then hit a powerful one, which the Singapore goalkeeper blocked. Gangte reacted fastest and finished with a strong right-footed strike for 3-2.
Maity seals it
India added a fourth in the 90th minute. India’s No. 9 went down under a challenge from the Singapore goalkeeper, and a penalty could have been given, but play continued and substitute Ristik Maity, No. 21, finished from the loose ball. The referee’s decision not to stop play is open to debate, but the goal stood.
How the match unfolded
Kick-off at Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium (6:30 PM IST).
Goal, Singapore. Ahmad Izzan Rifqi, No. 9, scores. Singapore 1-0.
Goal, India. Captain Dallalmuon Gangte, No. 19, controls a cross from No. 22 in the air and scores from inside the box. 1-1.
Half-time: Singapore 1-1 India.
Penalty, India. Gangte converts from the spot. Singapore 1-2 India.
Goal, Singapore. Rifqi heads in from a corner. Singapore 2-2 India.
Goal, India. Gangte completes his hat-trick after the Singapore goalkeeper blocks a shot from No. 16. Singapore 2-3 India.
Goal, India. Ristik Maity, No. 21, finishes from close range. Singapore 2-4 India.
Full-time: Singapore 2-4 India.
The teams
| # | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Maroof Shafi (GK) |
| 3 | Lawmsangzuala Sangnuntluanga |
| 5 | Zoramdinthara Lalhunmawia |
| 6 | R Lawmsangzuala |
| 9 | Hrishikesh Charan Manavathi |
| 10 | Mukundo Singh Ningthoujam |
| 11 | Md. Sahir Ali |
| 15 | Leo Thongbam |
| 17 | Kamgouhao Doungel |
| 19 | Dallalmuon Gangte (captain) |
| 22 | Sailex Oinam |
| # | Player |
|---|---|
| 13 | Newtan Irengbam (GK) |
| 23 | Arnav Rajendra Pandhare (GK) |
| 2 | Malem Laishram |
| 4 | Malsawmtluanga Lalbiakngura |
| 7 | Jinesh Thoudam |
| 8 | Henthoiba Keisam |
| 12 | Maldino Singh Yumnam |
| 14 | Felix Meitei Saikhom |
| 16 | David Mangang Irom |
| 18 | Sambay Thiyam |
| 20 | Raj Singh Wahengbam |
| 21 | Ristik Maity |
| # | Player |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ilhan Hady bin Mohamed Rezal (GK) |
| 2 | Caden Nicholas Pereira |
| 3 | Tyler Tan (Chen Yida) |
| 4 | Leo Chin Hee Caleb |
| 5 | Joel Tan Wei Zong |
| 6 | Lura Allessandro Mika |
| 8 | Arfan Rizq Naqi bin Muhammad Khafiz |
| 9 | Ahmad Izzan Rifqi bin Ahmad Farid |
| 10 | Lai Keng Lum |
| 17 | Aidan bin Irfan (captain) |
| 21 | Issac Matthew Saw Tian Zhi |
What’s next
India vs Guam
Saturday 14 November · 1:00 PM IST
Only the group winners qualify for the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Uzbekistan in 2027.
A win on matchday 1 puts India in a strong position, but only the group winners go through, so the match against Guam on Saturday matters.
Match facts
Teams, officials and kick-off from the official AFC start list. Goal descriptions and minutes from the match broadcast; they may differ from the official match report. Images are broadcast screengrabs unless marked as a PurePlay India graphic. Fixture time converted to IST.
