AIFF Media Team

DIU: Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu became the first team to reach the semi-finals of the Beach Soccer competition in the Diu Beach Games 2024 after winning both their matches so far in Group A.

The tournament, which began on Sunday, saw the home side routing Rajasthan 7-2, thanks to a three-goal performance by Laishram Prosanannda Singh. The prolific scorer shone again on Monday, January 7, 2024, when Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu edged past a fighting Gujarat 7-6. This time Prosanannda struck four goals to take his tally of goals to seven from two matches.  

Another team to win big on Sunday were Gujarat, who outplayed Andaman and Nicobar 14-5 with Tufel Hingora alone accounting for four goals for the winners.  

Beach soccer is fast gaining momentum in India. In 2023, both the National Championships in Surat and the National Games in Goa were keenly contested and raised considerable spectators’ interest.   

Results: 

Group A:

Dadra Nagar Haveli 7 (Loresh Chandu Bhurkud 2, Laishram Prosanannda Singh 3, Takhellambam Likson Singh, Nongmaithem Delson Singh)
beat
Rajasthan 2 (Sujal Saini, Gopal Singh)

Gujarat 14 (Tufel Hingora 4, Rutvik Borsa 3, Abuzer Islsm 2, Nihal Singh, Deep Bhajiyawala, Rajram Rajeshkumar Ram, Karmrajsinh Gohil, Somil Fulani)
beat
Andaman and Nicobar 5 (Faiz Khan 3, Sanju Katchwa, KK Mohammed Faiz)

Rajasthan 6 (Sujal Saini 4, Aman Tyagi 2)
beat
Andaman and Nicobar 1 (Faiz Khan)

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 7 (Laishram Prosanannda Singh 4, Loresh Chandu Bhurkud 2, Amal Suresh)
beat
Gujarat 6 (Somil Fulani 2, Tufel Hingora, Abuzer Islam, Karmrajsinh Gohil, Rutvik Borsa)

Group B: 

Lakshadweep 5 (Mohammed Malik Dheenar 3, Abdu Rahman C, Falalul Abid)
beat
Maharashtra 2 (Parth Paresh Chavan 2)

Goa 8 (Abel Gurgao 3, Pawan Naik 2, Abhishek Sambhaji Satam, Sunny Parab, Pradeep Kumar Bind)
beat
Odisha 6 (Mahesh Hansda 2, Sachin Kumar Mallik 2, Ashok Bag, Abhinash Samal)

Goa 5 (Abel Gurgao, Pawan Naik, Desmond Miranda, Pradeep Kumar, Cain Anthony Fernandes)
beat
Lakshadweep 4 (Mohammed Akram 2, Mohammed Hisanu Rahman, Muhammed Sabith SM)

Maharashtra 7 (Parag 2, Om Sanjay Arane 2, Parth Paresh Chavan 2,  Arman Fakir) 
beat
Odisha 3 (Abhinash Samal 2, Mahesh Hansda)