Tamil Nadu boys to take on Ukraine in semis

The Tamil Nadu side will face Ukraine's FC Dynamo Kyiv, who defeated Steqlal High School, Afghanistan 2-0 in an ill-tempered encounter that saw the Asian side reduced to eight men.

In the first quarterfinals, both Air Force School and Sports Hostel boys played with purpose and created quite a few chances.

It was Tamil Nadu who struck in the fifth minute when Y Puviarasan found the net in the fifth minute. The Air Force team pushed hard for an equaliser but goalkeeper T Manikandanam proved too good for the Delhi boys.

"It was difficult with the attack they were creating. There were close to half a dozen saves that I had to do. We had to change our strategy and our forwards too had fallen back to strengthen our defence," Manikandan said after the match.

Ukraine were also stretched by the Afghanistan side that displayed a creative passing strategy.

But Rostyslav Taranvhra put them ahead in the 32nd minute and Artem Jovbasa doubled the lead five minutes later.

Afghanistan were then reduced to nine men after two of their players were given marching orders, one of them sent off for picking up a fight with the referee.

On behalf of the organising committee it was said, "the refree's report is awaited and based on which we will take appropriate action."

Result (quarterfinal):

The Sports Hostel, Tamil Nadu 1 (Y Puviarasan 5) bt Air Force School Subroto Park 0.

FC Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine 2 (Rostyslav Taranvhra 32; Artem Jovbasa 37) bt Steqlal High School, Afghanistan 0.