Baku, October 28 – India's campaign in the FIFA U15 World Cup hit a snag as they went down 1-2 to Honduras in the Tier C Round of 32 at the Hovsan Competition Complex on Wednesday. The young Indian squad, despite a spirited effort, couldn't overcome the Central American challenge.

Honduras took the lead in the 18th minute through Danio Flores, capitalizing on a defensive error. India, however, showed resilience, with Ronandev Aheibam netting a brilliant equalizer in the 31st minute, rekindling hopes of a comeback. But their joy was short-lived as Alejandro Amaya restored Honduras's lead just five minutes later, sealing the fate of the match. Indian players like Ronandev Aheibam and Nara Meitei Loushambam had earlier chances that narrowly missed, highlighting the fine margins in such high-stakes games.

With this defeat, India now moves into the lower bracket's Round of 16, where they will compete for positions 81 to 96. Their next challenge will be against Trinidad and Tobago, who also faced a loss, going down 2-4 to France in their respective Round of 32 encounter. The tournament structure ensures all 189 participating teams continue to play for final rankings, offering India more opportunities to gain international experience.

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