The India U-23 national team faced Czech 4th Division side SK Senco Doubravka today in the first of three friendly matches during the 19-day long Czech Republic tour in preparation for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games.

India coach Wim Koevermans started with experienced senior national team strikers Sunil Chhetri and Robin Singh up front, while young keeper Amrinder Singh took care of the Indian goal with the support of the back line built of Pritam Kotal, Joyner Lourenco, Sandesh Jhingan and Narayan Das. Rowlin Borges, Milan Singh, Francis Fernandes and Mandar Rao Desai started in midfield against SK Senco Doubravka.

Both sides were locked goalless at half-time and Koevermans made four changes to the line-up. Substitute Lalrindika Ralte had the chance to give India the lead in the 49th and 51st minute, but the star midfielder from Mizoram couldn’t find the back of the net.

Alwyn George failed to convert India’s next chance in the 80th minute, when the youngster missed the target from a close range.

It looked like the match would end in a goalless draw, when SK Senco Doubravka striker Kutak scored a late goal to give them a narrow 1-0 win against the Indian U-23 national team.

The Indian U-23 national team will face FK Baník Most and TJ Jiskra Domažlice in their next matches in the Czech Republic before they return to India for the two match Friendly Series against the Pakistan U-23 national tTeam in Bangalore on August 17 and 20 respectively.

Friendly Match
at Pilsen, Czech Republic

INDIA U-23 0-1 SK SENCO DOUBRAVKA

GOALS
0-1 Kutak (85′)

LINE-UPS

India U-23
Amrinder Singh; Pritam Kotal (75′ Keenan Almeida), Joyner Lourenco (75′ Shankar Sampingiraj), Sandesh Jhingan (46′ Salam Ranjan Singh), Narayan Das; Rowlin Borges (46′ Pronoy Halder), Milan Singh (46′ Lalrindika Ralte), Francis Fernandes (86′ Seiminlen Doungel), Mandar Rao Desai (87′ Clifton Dias); Sunil Chhetri [C] (65′ Alwyn George), Robin Singh (46′ Haokip Thongkoshim)

Unused Subs
Ravi Kumar, Kamaljit Singh, Siam Hangal, Dhanpal Ganesh, Alesh Sawant

SK Senco Doubravka
…

Unused Subs
…

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee
…

Assistant Referees
…, …

BOOKINGS

Yellow Cards
…

Yellow-Red Cards
…

Red Cards
…

AIFF Match Report
India U-23 National Team went down by a solitary goal in a Friendly match against Czech Club Senco Doubravka in Pilsen. Senco Doubravka, founded in 1921 have been playing in the 4th League since 2001 and ended up in the 5th position of the 4th League last season.

Striker Kutak scored the winner for the Czech Club in the 85th minute.

The India U-23 Team presently preparing for the forthcoming Incheon Asian Games are on an exposure Tour to Czech Republic.

Striker Robin Singh should have put India ahead in the 17th minute but he muffed up as he failed to put it past rival Goalkeeper Turek from a one-to-one situation. The rest of the play in the first half was restricted to midfield as both Teams went into resumption without scoring.

Aiming to try our more Players, National Coach Wim Koevermans brought in four changes immediately after resumption. While Salam Singh replaced Sandesh Jhingan, Lalrindika Ralte came in for Milan Singh, Pronay Halder replaced Rowlin Borges while upfront, Haokip came in for Robin.

The changes almost seemed to pay off as Lalrindika muffed two back to back sitters from close.

Thereafter, it stayed a story of missed chances for India with substitute Alwyn George failed to tap it from close in the 80th minute and then Mandar Rao Desai hitting the upright in the 86th.

On the contrary, Kutak sealed the fate for his Team in the 85th minute.