India, April 3 -- Ryan Williams and Esmir Bajraktarević are separated by age but united by a lot more. Wide forwards, they have represented the country of their birth but it is in the land of their ancestors that they have made a name.

Against Hong Kong, Ryan Williams needed four minutes to make history for India. Esmir Bajraktarević's moment arrived after more than two hours and six penalty kicks could not separate Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Williams jumped and punched the air before disappearing into a huddle of blue. He had taken a giant leap of faith nearly two years ago when he decided to become an Indian citizen. It required navigating a process heavy on bureaucracy in an unfamiliar country. It required not giving...