Chandigarh: Chandigarh Football Association will lock horn with Minerva Football Academy in the finals of 14th Administrator’s Challenge Cup All India Football Tournament for the Boys U-17 years to be played at Sector-17 Football Stadium at 2 PM on Friday.
In a well contested first semi-final match, Chandigarh Football Association defeated Dalbir Football Academy by 8–7. Both the teams were equally balanced and exhibited spirited game right from the word go.
In the 3rd minute of play, Dalbir Academy lads framed a move from the half way line. Gurpreet Singh, the Lanky defender of Dalbir, gave a long pass towards the penalty area of Chandigarh but Amandeep Singh failed to capitalize the chance.
In the 10th minute of game, Dalbir Academy lads again came up with a good move. Gaurav Kumar took the ball and after dribbling Pulkit, the defender of Chandigarh Football Association, and entered the penalty where he tackled the advancing goal-keeper of Devansh Dabas in a reckless manner for which referee cautioned him and showed him the yellow card.
In the 24th minute of play, Chandigarh Football Association lads framed a move from the right flank. Sunny Dahiya opened the ball towards touch line and went deep near the goal line of Dalbir and gave a low height cross towards the right side of Dalbir Academy goal but the ball again went towards right of touch line which was again controlled by Sunny Dahia who again gave a cross this time to Sukhamandeep Singh who without scored the first goal for his team with a left footer grounder. Chandigarh Football Association were ahead by 1 – 0 at the breather.
On the resumption of play, both the teams played well. In the 48th minute, Sunny Dahiya of Chandigarh Football Association narrowly missed a chance when his shot went wide after touching the parallel bar. Had the golie of CFA not saved some of the sure chances, the result would have been different.
In the 82nd minutes of play, Saiv Raj of Dalbir Sent a cross from the right flank inside the penalty box of CFA which was cleared by defender Pulkit but the ball deflected towards his right which was taken by Amandeep Singh Dalbir who scored the equalizer with left footer. On the completion of stipulated time at the long whistle the score board read 1 – 1.
The match went into the extra time. Both the teams failed to capitalize the chances that came their way and the match ended in draw even after the extra time.
To break the deadlock, kicks from the penalty mark were given in which Chandigarh lads were proved better shooter. Dalbir Singh, Sukhmandeep Singh, Pulkit Chou, Manish Thapa, Amandeep, Alankar and Ravtej converted for Chandigarh where as Devansh, Gurkirat Singh missed the target for Dalbir Patiala.
Jaskaran Singh, Satgur Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Vishal, Anil Kumar and Bhavik scored where as Shivraj, Gaurav Kumar and Amandeep Singh missed the target.
In the second semifinal, Minerva Football Academy squeezed past Youngsters Football Club by a 5 – 0 Nongdamba opened the account in the 3rd minute for Minerva Academy by his solo efforts. He dribbled past three players for scoring the first goal. Thereafter, the Youngster Club lads gave some resistance to their opponents and came up with couple of good moves which were foiled by Minerva custodian. It was again Nongdamba who scored second goal in the 33rd minutes of play by a superb header off a cross from the left flank.
Minerva lads were leading by 2 – 0 at the breather.
Amarjeet scored two goals for Minerva in the 72nd and 78th minutes of the play. Tom Cruise scored the last goal for Minerva and sealed the fate of Youngster. Sailo of Minerva and Jaspreet Singh of Youngsters were shown red card by the referee and given marching order for their involvement in dangerous play. Samandeep Singh and Jaskaranveer of Youngsters were sent off the field by the referee for automatic suspension as they were shown yellow cards twice in this match.
Azaruddin of Minerva was cautioned and shown yellow card for playing in a reckless manner.
Meanwhile Kulbir Singh, coach of Youngsters Football Club, lodged a protest against the Shamsher Singh the goal-keeper of Minerva Academy that his actual name is Sher Bahadur Singh S/o Shri Karam Singh, Date of Birth 15.05.1998 but in this tournament he is playing in the name of Shamsher Singh by Date of Birth 15.05.2000.
The Jury of appeal will meet 10:00 A.M. in Sports Department, Sector-42, Chandigarh to look into the protest and decide about the matter of protest. The hardliner match will be played tomorrow at 02:00 PM at Sector-42, Sports Complex.
