FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup: School kids fill stands

School kids watch the China v Mexico U-17 FIFA World Cup match at the DY Patil Stadium in Nerul yesterday. Pics/Ashwin Ferro

There was a decent 8000-plus turnout (8086 as per official figures) for the two Group C matches of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup at the DY Patil Stadium in Nerul on Wednesday, thanks mainly to the local organising committee, who invited a host of schools from the nearby region. As part of a community engagement programme, backed by the ministry of education and the NMMC (Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation), over 2000 kids from government schools in the vicinity, were invited for the matches on Wednesday. With Mexico, China, Spain and Colombia in action, the local kids may not have had a favourite team to back, but they had a blast nevertheless, yelling and jumping every time a goal was scored.

Over-enthusiastic cops inconvenience fans

It was chaos at the DY Patil Stadium's Gate No. 5 through which most fans were required to enter for the Group C FIFA U-17 WWC matches on Wednesday. There was heavy police bandobast outside the ground as expected, considering it's a FIFA event, but the over-enthusiastic cops did not seem to have adequate information to guide the fans. Most fans, approaching the policemen seeking information on the gate numbers, were either turned away or wrongly sent to a different entry point. "I've spent almost an hour now walking around the whole stadium with my kids to find Gate No.5. The cops manning the main gate sent me to the other end of the ground," one disgruntled fan told mid-day.

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A Chinese player (right) tries to get past a Mexican defender

China win match of two halves

In what turned out to be a match of two halves, China stunned Mexico 2-1 in a Group C clash at the DY Patil Stadium. The Mexicans dominated the first half with their skill and flair, but somehow couldn't breach the Great Wall of China's defence. In fact, Maribel Flores even missed a penalty for the Mexicans midway in the first session when she blasted the ball into the crosspiece. In the second half however, China came out all guns blazing. Qiao Ruiqi converted a penalty (49th min) after which Yu Xingue doubled their lead (90th) with a neat field goal. Mexico pulled one back when a Katherin Guijarro cross was deflected home in stoppage time.