AIFF Media Team
NEW DELHI: Odisha made the final of the Junior Boys’ National Football Championships for the BC Roy Trophy Tier 1 when they defeated Chandigarh 2-0 in the penultimate round match at the Ramakrishna Ashrama Ground in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
In a well-contested match, Odisha, who came clean with two back-to-back wins in the group stage, took the lead during the add-on time of the first half (45+2) off a free-kick from the right. As Aman Lakra essayed a measured lob inside the rival box, Prempiyush Bagh outjumped his marker to head the ball home in the most spectacular fashion.
Despite trailing by a goal, Chandigarh were never out of contention and repeatedly raided the rival area. But, while their search for the equaliser remained elusive, Odisha slammed in another in the 67th minute to further consolidate their position.
A combined attack from the right saw Sambhunath Majhi rushing past the defender into the box. However, Chandigarh goalkeeper Sohel was quick to come out and clear the ball. But he could do little when Naresh Kumar Dhan took control of the rebound and volleyed home.
The other match of the day in Group B was a true cliffhanger as Maharashtra edged Goa 3-2. After Yuvraj Kadam put Maharashtra in the lead in the 15th minute and Casvino Fernandes cancelled it in the 55th minute for Goa, the winners once again took the lead in the 58th minute through Ryan Pereira, only to find Lesvin Rebelo restoring parity once again in the 83rd minute. But Maharashtra had the last laugh as skipper Arun Devendra Singh struck the winning goal in the 88th minute.
Close contests witnessed in Junior Boys’ NFC for BC Roy Trophy Tier 2
Haryana and Sikkim won their respective group league matches in the Junior Boys’ National Football Championship for the BC Roy Trophy Tier 2 at the Nurul Amin Stadium in Nagaon, Assam on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
While Haryana beat Andaman and Nicobar 4-0, Sikkim managed a 2-0 victory over Himachal Pradesh. In the other two matches, Assam drew with Arunachal Pradesh 2-2 and Nagaland and Manipur slugged it out for a 4-4 outcome in the other.
In Group A, Haryana took full points from the match against Andaman and Nicobar to take their points tally to seven points from four matches in the five-team group. After leading through an Arnav Wadhwa goal at half time, the winners struck three via Aryan, Anshu and Amar to register their second win in the tournament.
However, it was no one-sided contest in Group C as Arunachal Pradesh stopped Assam’s winning run by holding the hosts to a 2-2 draw. Assam, who won their last three matches in the five-team group, took the lead through Roshan Dungdung in the 12th minute only to find Arunachal’s Hanu Tari restoring parity within a couple of minutes.
Assam finally regained lead in the 82nd minute off a goal by Litdong Dera. But it too didn’t last long Gymar Josuah snatched a point for Arunachal with a goal in the 90+3 minutes. While Assam finished their league engagements with 10 points, Arunachal have seven points from three outings.
The most interesting match of the day, however, was between Manipur and Nagaland, who battled it out for a 4-4 draw. While Nagaland scored through Moamanen (27’), Nahpan (57’, penalty), Ayhunlo Chung (62’) and Menolhusie Rino (79’), Manipur’s marksmen were Mohammed Arish Khan (43’), Mohammed Mansur Alam (51’), Shitaljit Haorongbam (69’) and Ngangom Washington Singh (90+5’).
In Group D, Sikkim registered their second win beating Himachal Pradesh 2-0 after leading by a goal at half time. Nee Seikh Subba and Ronan Raj Pradhan were the scorers.
Andhra Pradesh start with a bang in Junior Girls’ NFC Tier 1
The Junior Girls’ National Football Championship Tier 1, 2024-25, kicked off at the RDT Stadium in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, on Saturday, August 3, 2024, with 23 goals being scored in two matches. Twenty of them came in the match between hosts Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh with the former winning 20-0. In the other, Jharkhand defeated Bihar 3-0.
The opening match of the tournament in Group A, between two neighbouring states wasn’t exactly a keenly contested one, as Jharkhand were easy winners after racing to a 2-0 lead at the breather. While Anusha Kumari struck twice for the winners, Reena Kumari was the other goalscorer.
The day’s only other match in the same group was like a massacre of the innocents as the hosts Andhra Pradesh pumped in goals at will against Himachal Pradesh. Tamatapu Aruna accounted for seven goals, followed by Mandala Anusha (6), Erukala Sai Varshita (3), Vyasapuram Nandini (2), Marappa Gowda Shamitha and an own goal by Divya Thakur.
Sikkim enter last four in Junior Girls’ NFC Tier 2, 2024-25
Sikkim made their way to the semi-finals from the three-team Group D in the Junior Girls’ National Football Championship Tier 2, 2024-25, on Saturday, August 3, 2024, in Belgaum, Karnataka, by winning their second consecutive match. They defeated Meghalaya 2-1.
After Meghalaya took the lead in the 20th minute thanks to a penalty conversion by Eiladki Ksoo and Smeeta Sundas cancelled it, Sikkim’s winner came in the final minutes through Yangreep Lepcha.
Uttarakhand registered their second consecutive victory in Group C beating Telangana, who suffered their second straight defeat. Ayushi Negi and Akansha Tadiyal scored for the winners.
The other match in Group C was an Arti Munda show, whose fine hat-trick helped Assam to beat Punjab 3-1 after the losers took the lead in the fourth minute through Gurnaz.
Sunday, August 4, 2024 fixtures:
Junior Boys’ NFC for BC Roy Trophy
Tier 1, Narainpur, Chhattisgarh
Group D: Bengal vs Tamil Nadu (8 am); Chhattisgarh vs Kerala (3 pm)
Tier 2, Nagaon, Assam
Group B: Madhya Pradesh vs Gujarat (8 am); Tripura vs Uttarakhand (2 pm)
Junior Girls’ NFC 2024-25
Tier 1, Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Group C: Tamil Nadu vs Gujarat (9 am); Kerala vs Arunachal Pradesh (3 pm)
Tier 2, Belgaum, Karnataka Group A: Karnataka vs Uttar Pradesh (8 am); Chandigarh vs Andaman and Nicobar (11 am)
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