Click here for live score Preview: Two-time winners Mexico will be hot favourites when they take on Asian champions Iraq in a Group F FIFA U-17 World Cup engagement at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday. Mexico lifted the Cup twice (2005, 2011) and reached the semi-finals in the last edition of the tournament, losing to eventual champions Nigeria. [caption id=“attachment_4112619” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The Mexican U-17 team celebrate their win in the South American Championship. AFP[/caption] The 2017 CONCACAF U-17 champions were the last of the four teams in the group to arrive in the city and looked sharp in training. Their pedigree was visible in the confidence of the players and coach Mario Arteaga. Mexico are one of the four sides in this edition of the tourney to have pocketed the crown previously. The other three are Brazil (2003), Ghana (1995) and France (2001). Defending champions Nigeria failed to qualify for the finals. “We are here to create new history. What has happened in the past is in the past,” Arteaga said in his first interaction with journalists after flying in to the city. The El Tri, as they are popularly called, will bank on Jairo Torres who has not only made his senior debut for Mexican side Club Atlas, but also starred in their CONCACAF U-17 Championship win scoring three goals in the process. He was adjudged the best player of the tournament. What makes Torres a threat is that he isn’t just a goalscorer; he’s a team player who can create and dictate the course of play. Coming to Iraq, the Asian powerhouse can spring a surprise especially with the weather conditions not too alien to them as it is to their North American counterparts. Iraq U-17 team have been in form too winning the 2016 AFC U-16 Championship in Goa last year. At the World Cup stage though, they are thin on experience having featured in just the 2013 edition where they finished last in Group F. Iraq lost all three of their matches, against Sweden, Mexico and Nigeria, the teams that eventually claimed first, second and third place in the tournament. The Iraqis had then lost to Mexico 1-3. Iraq will pin their hopes on Mohammed Dawood who netted six goals in the U-16 AFC meet, including a hattrick against Japan in the semi-finals. Squads: Mexico: VActor DAaz, Cesar Lapez De Alba, Cesar Rafael Ramos Becerra; Alan Luevanos, Luis Olivas Salcedo, Oscar Gatica, Carlos Jimenez, AdriAin HernAindez, Sergio Lozano and RaAl Zavala; Luis Avila, Carlos Zavala, Alexis Torres, Diego Leyva, Deivoon Rico, JesAs Alvarez and Marco Antonio RuAz Zarco; Jairo Torres, Roberto GonzAilez, Cesar Valera, Daniel Valdez. Iraq: Ali Ibadi, Mustafa Zuhair, Abdulazeez Ammar Defenders: Ammar Mohammed, Maytham Jabbar, Muntadher Mohammed, Muntadher Abdulsada, Abdulabbas Ayad, Mohammed Al-Baqer, Ali Raad; Habeeb Mohammed, Saif Khalid, Mohammed Ridha, Abbas Ali, Bassam Shakir, Mohammed Ali (Al Nagda), Moamel Karim, Ahmed Sartip; Mohammed Dawood, Ali Kareem, Alaa Adnaan
FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, Iraq vs Mexico, Football match result: War of attrition ends in 1-1 deadlock
Catch the live scores and updates from the Group F match between Iraq and Mexico.
 "FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017, Iraq vs Mexico, Football match result: War of attrition ends in 1-1 deadlock")
So that’s it from us. Thanks for joining today’s coverage of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Do come back for tomorrow’s action that includes host nation India taking on Colombia. As always, we’ll give you regular updates on our blog.
See you tomorrow then, good night!
The thoroughly entertaining contest ends in a 1-1 draw as Iraq register their first ever point in the history of the FIFA U-17 World Cup. Mexico, wasteful in possession and inefficient in the final-third, pushed Iraq to the brink in the second half but were unable to find a winner. Iraq, the perennial underdogs, once again proved why they are the Asian champions as they held Mexico to a well-deserved draw.
Both teams will have quite a few things to work on, before their next game, but neither will be disappointed with the draw, for both Iraq and Mexico lacked the killer instinct today.
England will be happy campers as they lead Group F with three points and have established themselves as serious contenders for winning the entire competition.
That’s it from the Yuva Bharati Krirangan, where a 50,000+ strong crowd enjoyed two thrilling encounters of football back-to-back and would take away England’s panache and Iraq’s resilience as the key deciding factors of today’s results.
In other match today, Japan scored half a dozen goals against Honduras.
Japan stole the show tonight. #FIFAU17WC pic.twitter.com/BkywtHGOJM
— Indian Football (@IndianFootball) October 8, 2017
FT: Iraq 1-1 Mexico
It’s done and dusted. Iraq were really impressive in the first-half but Mexico gave it all in the second-half. In the end, it was a fair result.
51’ GOAL! Iraq 1-1 Mexico
Roberto de La Rosa equalizes as the Iraqi defence is punished for its first mistake in over fifty minutes. Ayad fails to clear a simple cross and the ball falls upon the Mexico No. 10, who calmly slots it in the corner.
45’ Iraq 1-0 Mexico
Second-half is underway at the Salt Lake Stadium.
HT: Iraq 1-0 Mexico
Mexico were slow off the gate as they took time to adjust to the humidity and the playing conditions. Iraq, on the contrary, were far more efficient in possession and level-headed without the ball, in spite of defending for long periods of the first half. Mohammed Dawood’s goal is the only separator between the two sides, who have tussled well to provide the Kolkata crowd with an intriguing tactical battle.
31’ Iraq 1-0 Mexico
Mexico come close with striker De La Rosa’s header but ball hits the post.
16’ – GOAL! Iraq 1 Mexico 0
The AFC champions take the lead through Mohammed Dawood as he beat the offside trap and then went past the goalkeeper to net Iraq’s first of the competition.
It had been an evenly contested first fifteen minutes as both Iraq and Mexico were wary about the other and played safe.
That’s the line-up of both the teams.
Estas son las alineaciones del juego #Irak vs. #México #Sub17 #FIFAU17WC https://t.co/24AMtFjKgI pic.twitter.com/pIPYKfn2AD
— AS México (@ASMexico) October 8, 2017
A goal fest Sunday and it’s not done yet.
.@England and France both showed a dominating performance against their opponents tonight. #FIFAU17WC pic.twitter.com/sswBSbNSTH
— Indian Football (@IndianFootball) October 8, 2017
After an enthralling game, the crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium will expect that the next also lives up to the expectations.
Iraq won the AFC U-16 Championships last year when it was held in India so they are not completely new to the playing conditions. Mexico have a strong squad but adjusting to the playing conditions will be the key for them.
Hello and welcome to the live-blogging of the second Group F fixture of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017 sees AFC champions Iraq take on CONCACAF champions Mexico at the Yuva Bharati Krirangan.
The line-ups have been announced.
Iraq Starting XI: Ibadi, Habeeb Mohammed, Abdulsada, Muntadher Mohammed, Dawood, Ridha (C), Shakir, Ayad, Albaqer, Ali, Kareem.
Mexico Starting XI: Cesar Lopez, Vasquez, Robles (C), Sandoval, Torres, Gutierrez, Daniel Lopez, De La Rosa, Maeda, Gamiz, Lainez.
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