China pip India for third spot in Eider Nehru football

India woke up a fraction too late to prevent China from winning the losers' final of the ongoing Eider Nehru International Football tournament at Kochi by a margin of 2-1.

Though India launched an avalance of attacks at the death to put immense pressure on the Chinese defence, they had left it too late. China survived, and thanks to Bao Wen Jie's 15th minute goal and one from Hunag Yong in the 31st minute, went out the winners. India's diminutive star, Baichung Bhutia, reduced the margin in the 39th minute with a header.

China stuck to its technique of short diagonal passes, moving the ball around well and threatening from either flank. The Chinese defence, meanwhile, shackled Bhutia effectively in the first half, deputing two defenders to mark the mercurial Indian attacking midfielder.

China went into the lead in the 15th minute when Bao Wan snatched the ball from a shaky Naushad Moose near the touchline, sprinted into then box and hammered home on the run.

Moosa, whose defensive work on the day left a lot to be desired, was then replaced by K A Anson. However, India looked a shadow of the side that, on Thursday, had gone down in the penalty shootout to champions Iraq in the semifinal. And China consolidated when attacking midfielder Huang Yong took off from the top of the penalty area, showing fine anticipation to head home a Yao Li cross from the left.

Bruno Coutinho, uncharacteristically slow in the midfield, was then replaced by Aqueel Ansari who introduced a sense of urgency into the half life. Aqueel orchestrated several fine moves down the flanks, and one of these moves fetched India a consolation goal when in the 35th minute Bhutia sold the dummy to his markers, and squeezed through a narrow gap to head home Aqueel's cross from the right.

After this goal, the Indians changed tactics, bringing up the wing backs into the attack more often while the medios used the width of the field to set the forward line, headed by Jo Paul Ancheri, moving with long diaognal passes. The wave of attacks bemused the Chinese defence, but the visitors packed their penalty area and time and again, scrambled the ball to safety to hold India at bay till the final whistle.

Defending champions Iraq, meanwhile, will meet Uzbekistan in the final of the tournament at Kochi later Saturday evening.