<p>National Under-19 football head coach Shuvendu Panda on Friday announced a 23-member Indian squad for the SAFF U-19 Championship, to commence in Kathmandu on September 21.</p>.<p>The squad flew to Saudi Arabia for an exposure-cum-training camp early on Friday from where they will travel to the Nepal capital on September 19.</p>.<p>India has been drawn in Group B along with Bhutan and Bangladesh, while Group A comprises the hosts, Maldives and Pakistan.</p>.<p>After a single round-robin group stage, the top two teams from both groups will move into the semifinals. The final will be played on September 30.</p>.<p>Last year, India hosted the event in the Under-20 category and emerged champions, trumping Bangladesh 5-2.</p>.<p>The only other time the tournament was held in the U-19 category was in 2015 in Nepal, where the hosts defeated India on penalties after regulation time ended in a 1-1 stalemate.</p>.<p><strong>Indian squad: </strong></p><p><strong>Goalkeepers</strong>: Lionel Daryl Rymmei, Divyaj Dhaval Thakkar and Manjot Singh Parmar.</p>.<p> <strong>Defenders</strong>: Thomas Kanamoottil Cherian, Jahangir Ahmad Shagoo, Vijay Marandi, A Siba Prasad, Manabir Basumatary, Surajkumar Singh Ngangbam and Ricky Meetei.</p>.<p> <strong>Midfielders</strong>: Manglentheng Kipgen, Ishaan Shishodia, Arjun Singh Oinam, Yash Chikro, Ebindas Yesudasan, Raja Harijan and Thumsol Tongsin.</p>.<p> <strong>Forwards</strong>: Gwgwmsar Goyary, Sahil Khurshid, Linky Meitei Chabungbam, Kelvin Singh Taorem, Naoba Meitei and Dinesh Singh Soubam. </p>
<p>National Under-19 football head coach Shuvendu Panda on Friday announced a 23-member Indian squad for the SAFF U-19 Championship, to commence in Kathmandu on September 21.</p>.<p>The squad flew to Saudi Arabia for an exposure-cum-training camp early on Friday from where they will travel to the Nepal capital on September 19.</p>.<p>India has been drawn in Group B along with Bhutan and Bangladesh, while Group A comprises the hosts, Maldives and Pakistan.</p>.<p>After a single round-robin group stage, the top two teams from both groups will move into the semifinals. The final will be played on September 30.</p>.<p>Last year, India hosted the event in the Under-20 category and emerged champions, trumping Bangladesh 5-2.</p>.<p>The only other time the tournament was held in the U-19 category was in 2015 in Nepal, where the hosts defeated India on penalties after regulation time ended in a 1-1 stalemate.</p>.<p><strong>Indian squad: </strong></p><p><strong>Goalkeepers</strong>: Lionel Daryl Rymmei, Divyaj Dhaval Thakkar and Manjot Singh Parmar.</p>.<p> <strong>Defenders</strong>: Thomas Kanamoottil Cherian, Jahangir Ahmad Shagoo, Vijay Marandi, A Siba Prasad, Manabir Basumatary, Surajkumar Singh Ngangbam and Ricky Meetei.</p>.<p> <strong>Midfielders</strong>: Manglentheng Kipgen, Ishaan Shishodia, Arjun Singh Oinam, Yash Chikro, Ebindas Yesudasan, Raja Harijan and Thumsol Tongsin.</p>.<p> <strong>Forwards</strong>: Gwgwmsar Goyary, Sahil Khurshid, Linky Meitei Chabungbam, Kelvin Singh Taorem, Naoba Meitei and Dinesh Singh Soubam. </p>