CFA off to a winning start

CHANDIGARH:Hosts Chandigarh Football Academy CFA started their campaign in the Administratorrsquos Challenge Cup U17 AllIndia Football Championship with a resounding 60 win over SAG Football Academy Gujarat amid rain at the Sector 7 Sports Complex here on Monday

Updated At : 07:57 AM Sep 25, 2018 IST

Players vie for the ball during a match between Chandigarh Football Academy (red) and SAG Football Academy at the Sector 7 Sports Complex on Monday. Manoj Mahajan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 24

Hosts Chandigarh Football Academy (CFA) started their campaign in the Administrator’s Challenge Cup U-17 All-India Football Championship with a resounding 6-0 win over SAG Football Academy, Gujarat, amid rain at the Sector 7 Sports Complex here on Monday.

Playing in the absence of some key players, who are recovering from conjunctivitis, the hosts played with intensity to outclass the visitors.

Karandeep scored the first goal for the hosts in the 13th minute, while Gobinddass doubled the lead in the 24th minute. Leveraging early lead, CFA boys played for possession and maintained their stranglehold over SAG boys as they went in for the interval at 2-0.

The hosts then came out charging in the second half and soon made it 3-0 as striker Napoleon found the back of the net with a powerful volley in the 47th minute.

Preetam registered his name on the scoresheet with a 54th-minute attempt, and 11 minutes later, Shabby Khan beat the SAG custodian with a deft touch to make it 5-0 for the hosts.

Beckham scored in the 75th minute to put the final nail in the SAG coffin as the hosts closed the match 6-0.

Shabi shines for Thau

In another match, Thau Sports Academy, Manipur, rode on Shabi’s four goals to hand a 7-0 drubbing

to Chandigarh Football Association.

Somishin put the visitors ahead in the 12th minute, while Shabi scored back-to-back goals (31st and 32nd) to help them close the first half with a 3-0 lead.

There was no change of luck for Chandigarh Football Association in the second half as Suraj converted a free kick in the 53rd minute to help the Manipur outfit go 4-0 up. Five minutes later, Shabi scored his third goal to make things even more difficult for the city side.

Ameschandra piled on the misery for Chandigarh Association as he netted the sixth goal for Thau Academy in the 85th minute.

With still some action left in the match, Shabi scored another goal for the side in the injury time (91st minute) to complete a comprehensive win.

Minerva drub Chitkara

At the Sector 46 Sports Complex, Minerva Punjab FC registered a 5-1 win over Chitkara Football Academy.

Samson put Minerva ahead in the first minute of the play. But Chitkara boys fought hard to stay in the game and did not allow their opponents to add to the lead in the next 35 minutes. Their resilience finally came to an end when Matheson struck for Minerva in the 36th minute.

In the second half, Minerva scored through Tangva (46th, 50th) and Vaishlav (58th) to take a 5-0 lead.

Gopal Chettri scored the consolation goal for Chitkara in the 86th minute.

Dalbir Academy held

In the last league match of the day, Cordia Southall Football Academy, Fatehgarh Sabib, came from behind to hold Dalbir Football Academy, Patiala, to a 2-2 draw.

Dalbir Academy scored through Arshnoor in the 13th minute and maintained the slender lead till the interval.

After the break, Patiala boys doubled the lead in the 53rd minute through Harpreet and were looking on course for a victory until Cordia scored a couple of quick goals through Bikramjit (65th, 71st) to draw level.