Football News: Next Gen Cup
The Next Gen Cup, 2022 was a successful outing for England, India, and South Africa teams. Indian Super League (ISL) outfits Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters were the only Indian names as they appeared in two games each
Fireworks after final whistle in ISLAfter finishing as the top two teams in the Reliance Foundation Development League, they pulled through to the competition. Bengaluru FC colts lost 6-3 and 6-1 to Leicester City and Nottingham Forest, respectively.
The young Blasters suffered 7-0 and 4-1 defeats against Tottenham and Crystal Palace, respectively. Despite their inability to traverse far in the tournament, they learned a lot. Here is a list of all the Indians who held their own against top-notch youngsters of the Premier League sides.
Namgyal Bhutia (Bengaluru FC)
The Bengaluru FC reserves captain guided his team from the backline. He is a right-back who can also fill in as a midfielder. The 22-year-old played for Bengaluru FC's senior squad last season, although he is not a regular yet.
He is a set-piece specialist who threatened Leicester City's defence, particularly in the second half. He has signed a contract extension with the club till 2026, and his recent outing reinforces his belief in his team and management.
Sachin Suresh (Kerala Blasters)
The Kerala Blasters goalkeeper made brilliant saves against Tottenham and Crystal Palace. Although he conceded many goals, he sabotaged his opponent's chances multiple times. Their defeat could have accompanied a worse scoreline without Suresh in the picture.
Ayush Adhikari (Kerala Blasters)
Ayush Adhikari was the captain of the Blasters in this edition of the Next Gen Cup. The central midfielder scored a penalty past the Palace goalkeeper to pull his team back from the trenches.
Although the match ended in a 4-1 loss for the Blasters, Adhikari challenged his opponents in midfield. With Jeakson Singh's support in the middle of the park, he burst through many attacks from the Eagles.
Dipesh Chauhan (Bengaluru FC)
Dipesh Chauhan was absent from Bengaluru FC's opening game against Leicester City. After Sharon was benched around the half-hour mark, Chauhan arrived and made two eye-grabbing saves.
After his refreshing heroics, his team looked more confident, leading to goals by Sivasakthi Narayanan and Damaitphang Lyngdoh. When Leicester received a penalty, Chauhan made another save to deny Terell Pennant a goal.
Pennant's rebound shot was effectively blocked by the goalkeeper again. Due to his performance, the young keeper started in the second game against Nottingham Forest.
Sivasakthi Narayanan (Bengaluru FC)
Sivasakthi Narayanan made a lasting impact in the Durand Cup last season. He initiated Bengaluru's attack against Leicester in their 6-3 loss.
After conceding six goals, the youngster entered the box and shot past the Foxes' keeper. He scored again with his teammate Damaitphang Lyngdoh when Leicester fumbled in the second half.