Gurgaon: Bengal went down to hosts Haryana 0-1 in the final of the national under-19 football championship for the B.C. Roy Trophy on Friday.

A faulty collection by custodian Sayan Roy in the 15th minute cost Bengal dear as Haryana striker Tushar Chowdhury made the most of it. Thereafter, Bengal pressed hard but could never make a clear opening.

The Bengal coach Sujit Chakrabarty felt there should have been strict age verification during the championship.

“But this is part of the system in India… We have to live with it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Friday signed a protocol with the Portuguese Football League (LPA) in New Delhi.

The AIFF bosses claimed that under the deal, India would be able to get active cooperation of the Portuguese for development of the game at grassroots level.