Indian Sports Wrap, March 4: India U-17 defeats host Myanmar in first friendly
FOOTBALL
India U17 defeats host Myanmar 2-1 in first friendly
The India Under-17 men’s national team defeated Myanmar U-17s 2-1 at the Thwunna Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, on Tuesday in the first friendly.
Washington Singh Ngangom (11’) and Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam (24’) put India two goals ahead in the first half. While Myanmar mounted a comeback after half-time with Myint Myat Ko Ko (54’) getting on the scoresheet, the Blue Colts held on for the win.
India relied on counterattacks to open up the Myanmar defence for both its goals, Gunleiba playing a major role on the left wing on both occasions.
In the 11th minute, he broke on the counter down the left before feeding it down the centre to Washington, who only had the goalkeeper to beat. The latter finished off his chance at the near post.
Gunleiba turned from provider to scorer in the 24th minute, when captain Dallalmoun Gangte fed him a through ball that set him free behind the Myanmar defence. Aiming from a rather tight angle, Gunleiba’s snapshot nestled into the side-netting to double the Blue Colts’ lead.
Myanmar attempted to regain control in the second half but could only respond through a set piece. Captain Ant Htoo Paing swung a long-range free-kick into the Indian box, and Myint headed it in.
India held on despite the second-half setback, earning its first victory in Myanmar, as it prepares for the AFC U-17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, set to be held later this year.
-Team Sportstar
TENNIS
Balaji-Oberleitner pair through to quarterfinals at Thionville Challenger
N. Sriram Balaji and his Austrian partner Neil Oberleitner progressed to the quarterfinals of the Thionville Challenger in France late on Tuesday night.
Balaji and Oberleitner, the top seeds, defeated Switzerland’s Remy Bertola and Frenchman Geoffrey Blancaneaux 6-3, 6-4 in 64 minutes.
The Indo-Austrian duo will face Israel’s Daniel Cukierman and USA’s Trey Hilderbrand for a place in the semifinals.
N. Vijay Sundar Prashanth and his Spanish partner Sergio Martos Gornes also reached the last-eight stage with a 6-7(5), 6-3, [13-11] win over American duo of Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow.
Results:
ATP Challenger (CH 100) – Thionville, France
Doubles, R16: [1] N. Sriram Balaji/Neil Oberleitner (AUT) bt [Alt] Remy Bertola (SUI)/Geoffrey Blancaneaux (FRA) 6-3, 6-4; N. Vijay Sundar Prashanth/Sergio Martos Gornes (ESP) bt Nathaniel Lammons (USA)/Jackson Withrow (USA) 6-7(5), 6-3, [13-11]
ATP Challenger (CH 75) – Kigali, Rwanda
Doubles, R16: [1] Siddhant Banthia/Alexander Donski (BUL) bt Pol Martin Tiffon (ESP)/Oriol Roca Batalla (ESP) 6-4, 6-4; S D Prajwal Dev/Nitin Kumar Sinha bt [4] Eero Vasa (FIN)/Seita Watanabe (JPN) 6-4, 6-4
ITF W35 Kalaburagi
Singles, R32: [8] Ankita Raina bt Sonal Patil 6-1, 6-3; [5] Zeel Desai bt [WC] Jennifer Luikham 6-2, 6-1; Anna Sedysheva (RUS) bt [Q] Sandeepti Singh Rao 6-2, 6-4; [1] Jasmijn Gimbrere (NED) bt [Q] Aishwarya Jadhav 6-2, 6-1; Elina Nepliy (RUS) bt [Q] Kashish Bhatia 6-0, 6-4; Polina Kuharenko (BLR) bt Akanksha Nitture 6-2, 6-1; Evgeniya Burdina (RUS) bt [4] Shrivalli Bhamidipaty 5-1, retd.; [Q] Eva Marie Desvignes (SGP) bt [WC] Soha Sadiq 7-5, 6-0
Doubles, R16: Sravya Shivani Chilakalapudi/Michika Ozeki (JPN) bt Maayan Laron (ISR)/Maria Mikhailova (RUS) 6-2, 6-3; Snigdha Kanta/Harshini N Nagaraj bt [4] Polina Kuharenko (BLR)/Ekaterina Yashina (RUS) 6-7(4), 6-4, [10-3]; [3] Zeel Desai/Elina Nepliy (RUS) bt Anna Sedysheva (RUS)/Sofiia Suslova (RUS) 6-3, 6-4
ITF W35 Launceston, Australia
Singles, R32: [5] Vaidehee Chaudhari bt [WC] Ava Beck (AUS) 6-1, 4-6, 6-3
ITF W15 SharmElSheikh, Egypt
Singles, R32: [WC] Aurora Nosei (ITA) bt [WC] Lakshmi Gowda 6-1, 6-2
ITF M15 Sharm ElSheikh, Egypt
Singles, R32: [8] Yurii Dzhavakian (UKR) bt [WC] Muthu Aadhitiya Senthilkumar 6-3, 7-5
– Team Sportstar
GOLF
Gill and Gautam emerge joint leaders after round two of Phillaur Open
Sukhraj Singh Gill and Rajesh Kumar Gautam held the joint lead with a total of five-under 137 after round two of the DP World PGTI Phillaur Open.
Gill (70-67) and Gautam (70-67), who were both overnight tied ninth, followed up their first-round scores of one-under 70 with scores of four-under 67 in round two, to move into the joint lead.
Aditya Raj Singh Chahal, Pankaj Maandiya, Shaurya Sharma and Md Muaj, were all placed tied third at totals of four-under 138.
The cut went at three-over 145. The top 42 professionals made the cut for the third and final round.
– PTI
Published on Mar 04, 2026