Indian Newslink 15th May 2017 Digital Edition

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Sportslink
MAY 15, 2017
Teenager aims high at World Cup Youth Soccer
Source: FIFA.com
Eighteen-year-old Sarpreet
Singh from Auckland is in
South Korea to participate in
the FIFA World Cup Under 20
matches.
The following is a report that
appeared in FIFA.com
New Zealand Youth International
Sarpreet Singh was an impressionable
ten-year-old when Winston Reid scored
a famous last-gasp equaliser against
Slovakia to earn the All Whites their
first-ever point at a FIFA World Cup.
Now 18, Singh is well advanced
down the path towards his own success
in the game. And New Zealand’s South
Africa 2010 hero Reid - the current senior
national team captain - has played
an important role in that journey.
As a starry-eyed youngster, Singh
had two main dreams – becoming a
professional footballer and wearing the
national team colours. He is now on the
verge of achieving both those ambitions
within a matter of months, as New
Zealand prepare for the FIFA U-20
World Cup, which commences later this
month in the Korea Republic.
Mentoring and friendship
Singh was a scrawny schoolboy
when his unexpected break came in
the unlikely setting of Samoa. The
then Wellington Phoenix coach Ernie
Merrick picked out Singh during the
2015 U-17 World Cup qualifiers as
being worthy of a spot in the club’s
academy side. A rough diamond for
sure, but one that could be polished to
shine even brighter.
Sarpreet Singh
But then there was the problem of
finance, and schooling.
Raised in Auckland to India-born
parents, Singh needed to move south
to the capital. That was when Reid
stepped in, as Singh and fellow teen
Max Mata became beneficiaries of the
first-ever Winston Reid scholarship.
“Winston Reid played a big part
in that process. He helped with the
financial side of things, helping me
go to school here (in Wellington) and
set up a homestay. He looked after me
with all that, for which I am grateful.
I have not met Winston in person, but
we have Skyped and I still email him
on occasions, if I need something. I can
go straight to him, and I also have other
people I can go to,” he told FIFA.com.
A stylish attacking midfielder, Singh
is well on the way to achieving his
football aims. He recently made his
senior debut for the Phoenix – New
Zealand’s only professional club. It was
an experience that was both gratifying
and eye-opening.
Dreams can come true
New Zealand has been drawn in an
intriguing group for Korea Republic
2017, with Group E’s football mix as
diverse as its cultural flavour.
The Kiwis will tackle Vietnam and
Honduras, before rounding out their
group-stage commitments with a
meeting against France.
New Zealand boasts some solid
results at U-20 World Cups in recent
years, notably reaching the knockout
round on home soil two years ago.
They reprised that feat a few months
later at the U-17 World Cup, where it
took a somewhat unlucky 1-0 defeat
against Brazil to suffer elimination in
the Round of 16 – a team of which
Singh was a part.
Singh believes that experience at
Chile 2015 will stand the side in good
stead when they enter the heat of battle
in Korea Republic. Darren Bazeley’s
side is also well stocked with senior
internationals - Clayton Lewis, Henry
Cameron, Dane Ingham, Moses Dyer
and Logan Rogerson among them.
“Getting that exposure to the world
stage obviously stands me in good
stead, as it does all players that have
played at that level. There is nothing to
fear. We know what a threat they (our
opponents) can be, but as long as we
prepare well, we should be Ok,” Singh
said.
Singh’s schoolboy day-dreaming
from 2010 seems a long time ago now,
but the 18-year-old is aware of the
significance.
“It is the kind of thing you dream
of as a kid,” he said. “To actually do
that, really is a dream come true. Since
I started playing at a young age, all I
ever wanted to be was a pro footballer
and play for the national team, and I am
slowly working towards that,” he said.
Our Staff Reporter adds:
Among the other achievements of
Sarpreet Singh in the field of Soccer are
matches in Switzerland and Germany
(2009), Australia Futsal at which he was
named, ‘Most Valuable Player’ (2010),
Japan (2011), Nike Cup in Manchester
(2012), Turkey (2014), Under 17 World
Cup (2015), and Wellington Phoenix A
League Debut (2017).
Another fortnightly event begins next fortnight
Apurv Shukla
The second most prestigious
event in cricket after the
World Cup- the Champions
Trophy starts in England on
June 1, 2017.
The eighth edition of the event
will see the top eight one-day playing
nations, divided into two groups,
to claim top honors over a fortnight.
The compressed format of the event
produces exciting cricket, with all
games critical to a sides chance of
making it to the knock out stages.
New Zealand: Kane Williamson
leads an experienced squad to England,
which will try to replicate the success
of the team which won the second
Champions Trophy in 2000.
India: The defending champions very
nearly did not take part at this event. In
April, International Cricket Council
(ICC) approved a new constitution,
governance structure, and a finance
model, with the other full members
outvoting the BCCI.
Australia look to add to their kitty
of two Champions Trophy wins with
the Steve Smith led side shaping up
as strong contenders for the event.
England: The bookmakers favourite,
will look to win their first ever
Champions Trophy.
The above is a highly edited
version. For full text, please visit
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