AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers: India thrash Guam 12-0 as Wahengbam and Gangte score hat-tricks

Raj Singh Wahengbam and Dallalmuon Gangte scored a hat-trick each as India trounced Guam 12-0 in a group match of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers to notch their second win of the tournament here on Saturday.

Wahengbam scored four goals (55th, 73rd, 83rd and 84th), while Gangte struck in the 13th, 27th and 32nd minutes in the Group E match. Leo Thongbam (5th), Hrishikesh Manavathi (20th), David Mangang Irom (53rd), Felix Meitei Saikhom (56th) and Ristik Maity (87th) were the other Indian goal scorers.

Leo Thongbam gave the Blue Colts the lead in the fifth minute before captain Gangte scored three goals. Gangte was then rested at half-time.

Hrishikesh Manavathi also put one home, and India led 5-0 at the break.

On resumption, Mehrajuddin Wadoo's boys piled more misery on their opponents, scoring seven more goals as Raj, David Mangang Irom, Felix Meitei Saikhom and Ristik Maity got on the scoring sheet.

It marked the third biggest win in an AFC qualifying match for the Indian U-17 men's team, narrowly behind the 13-0 wins over Macau and Brunei Darussalam in 1984 and 2024 respectively.

With six points, India now lead the table on goal difference ahead of Palestine, their next opponents on Tuesday.

Singapore have three points, while Malaysia and Guam are yet to open their account.

Only the group winners will qualify for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup 2027.