Goa U-19 qualify
HERALD SPORTS REPORTER
MAPUSA, JUNE 15
The Goa U-19 team clinched a place in the second stage of Dr B.C. Roy trophy junior National football drawing 2-2 with Punjab at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata on Monday. Punjab were leading 2-0 at the breather.
Goa topped their group with 7 points, after defeating Assam 3-1 and Uttar Pradesh 7-1, before the 2-2 draw with Punjab.
After conceding two goals in the first 10 minutes to the Punjab outfit, Goa had to be at their best to get back into the game. Pandhari Chopdekar pulled a goal back for Goa in the 60th minute. Five minutes before the end, Brandon Fernandes converted a penalty to level for Goa and send them through.
Goa are set to kick off the second group stage against Meghalaya on Thursday.
Speaking to Herald, Goa U-19 coach Lino Pereira said, “Full credit to the boys today, they dug deep to get back into the game after falling behind to two early goals. We will carry this fighting spirit into the next round.”
Since the tournament was instituted by the AIFF in 1962, Goa have been victorious on two occasions, the first in 1980 winning against Kerala 2-0 in the final and the second time in 1983 defeating Punjab by the same margin.
One hopes Goa can add the title to the U-21 title won earlier in the season.
In other matches, Assam beat UP 3-2, Delhi hammered Pondicherry 9-0 and West Bengal blasted Tripura 8-0.
