China crush India in Asian U-17 football championship

India began their campaign in the 10th Asian under-17 football championship disastrously losing to China 1-4 in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Lanky striker Mao Jianqing dominated the match with two goals even as China lived upto their favourites tag in style.

Malsawma scored India's lone goal, a stunning 35-yarder to equalise Mao's first strike, but the match was virtually over when the Indians conceded two more goals in the first half through poor defending.

A baffled Indian coach, Akhmedov Islam, blamed the defenders and poor finishing for his side's defeat.

"Their performance was hardly up to five per cent of their ability. They did not show their real game and lacked confidence," Islam said.

"The second and third goals were of our own making and our forwards also let us down with some poor finishing," said the Uzbek national, promising a much better brand of football from his team in the next match.

The Chinese made full use of their speed and height with Mao's header off a Li Benjian free kick giving them the lead in the third minute.

But even before the cheers from a small group of Chinese fans had died down, Malsawma unleashed a classy shot to the right of Tian Xu to bring India level.

The Indians, despite the equaliser, seemed hesitant to carry on their forays into the Chinese half.

Mao, who missed a few easy chances in the early going, made amends to give a 2-1 lead to China. Taking advantage of the loose marking by the Indian defence Mao headed home his second off a Hao Junmin pass.

India then wilted under pressure although the Chinese were forced to slow down their game due to the humid conditions.

A minute before half-time Indian skipper Habibur Rahman was dispossessed in his own half and that error resulted in the third goal through Junmin.

In the second half India saw more of the ball but failed to translate their superiority while India's goalkeeper Subrata Pal brought off three good saves.

China added to India's misery when Jiang Chen beat Pal six minutes from the end to make it 4-1.