CHARLESTON -- The India U-16 National Team and the state of West Virginia are teaming together to fill each other's soccer needs this month.

The India team had never played a match in the United States; the state of West Virginia had never hosted an international soccer match.

However, through the efforts and funding of several individuals, the partnership has become a match made in heaven.

Well, "Almost Heaven."

"It's a remarkable coincidence and really a nice one too," Dr. Francis Saldanha, a Charleston anesthesiologist, said. "As these players have found out, the people from West Virginia are wonderful. There has been an outpouring of support to help make the boys' stay comfortable."

Saldanha is the financial backbone of the project, and joined with City National Bank commercial lender Brian Parrott and Rudy Roediger, director of player development for the semipro West Virginia Chaos, to form FS Sports WV, LLC.

Parrott, the program director, said the initial idea was just to bring a few players over, but as he and Saldanha talked, the plan escalated into an invitation to the national team. India accepted in November 2007, starting off a long chain of events that led the team around the world.

FS Sports WV, LLC, has taken on the duties of organizing the India U-16 National Team's arrangements from the 36-hour trip to get here to meals, to game sites and getting the games sanctioned by the international governing bodies of soccer.

"The West Virginia Soccer Association approved our application and submitted it to the U.S. Soccer Federation who in turn went to CONCACAF and FIFA," Parrott said. "Then the invitation was sent to the India government and they accepted, so this is a fully-sanctioned event."

The India U-16 National Team arrived in Charleston at Yeager Airport on July 1 at 3:30 p.m. and made history just five days later by appearing in the first-ever international soccer match in West Virginia -- a 6-1 win over the Columbus-based Metro FC Rapids in front of 1,057 fans.

They followed that with an 11-0 win over the NCAA Blast FC -- the No. 18-ranked team in the United States -- on Monday. Blast comes out of northern Columbus and features Wheelersburg standout sophomore Dillan Lewis, who travels back-and-forth to practice nearly each day of the week.

While his schedule is exhausting, Lewis said it was nothing like going up against the speed of the India players.

"Their training and speed is unbelievable," Lewis said. "Ours is good, but nothing compared to theirs. I don't know what else to say, but I'm exhausted.

"When we got out and started playing them, it was like playing professionals. You don't see that every day in the United States."

Lewis said even with the final score, he still felt his team played well, but India capitalized on its opportunities.

Statistics back up Lewis' claim. India took 28 shots in the game with 22 being on goal. Half of those shots found the back of the net.

"What they can do with the ball is amazing," Lewis said. "They can take a ball, no matter how high, and bring it back down onto their foot and play it. I was amazed."

This Saturday, Huntington fans will be able to see India U-16 for themselves as the team will come to Sam Hood Field to take on the Marshall University Elite Camp All-Stars at 7 p.m.

While the trip ends at the end of the month, Saldanha hopes that a strong bond is built with India and West Virginia through the sport of soccer.

"I hope I can continue to bring them over in the future," Saldanha said.

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