Team Herald
AMBELIM/MAPUSA: Regina Mundi and St Xavier’s, Moira fought back from the brink to register impressive victories in the junior boys’ qualifiers of the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports football tournament, on Thursday.
While Regina Mundi High School upstaged Saviour of the World High School 6-4 in a penalty shootout, St Xavier’s High School overcame St Joseph High School, Arpora 2-1
Regina Mundi were down 0-2 at the half-time but came roaring back after the break by scoring two goals in five minutes to level the scores at the Father Agnel ground, Verna. In the ensuing tie-breaker, Regina Mundi prevailed 4-2.
Johan Mesquita (37’) and Samuel Mesquita (42’) were the saviours for the winners after Cashel Fernandes (7’) and Sachin Rathod (28’) had put Saviour of the World ahead in the first half.
At the Ambelim ground, St Xavier’s were down 0-1 at the break following Meagen D’Souza’s 30th minute strike for St Joseph’s. However, four minutes after resumption, Kaushik Shetye netted the equaliser before Keval Shetye sealed the game in St Xavier’s favour with a 59th-minute goal.
In other junior boys matches, there was goals galore as Progress High School drubbed St Rita’s High School 14-0 while St Aloysius trounced Father Agnel Multipurpose High School 6-1.
Akash Jadhav, who scored all his four goals in the first session, was the hero for Progress while Reuben Castellino, Omkar Shetgaonkar (three each), Yeshwant Gawade (two), Shridharnath Gawas and Nigosh Bhagat were the other scorers for the winners at Ganeshpuri Sports Complex, Mapusa.
Vieri Colaco led the goal charge for St Aloysius after they were stunned by Vasant Nagvekar’s first minute goal. However, once they regained their composure, they completely dominated the match. Colaco who scored two goals including the equaliser in the 18th minute was adjudged player of the match. Necio Fernandes, Joason Vaz, Silvan Oliveira and Deryl Silva too got on the scoresheet for the winners.
Rosary Higher Secondary School made a winning start to the Senior Boys league which got under way at the Ambelim ground. Joybert Almeida (13’) and Stendley Fernandes (62’) scored on either side of the break to upstage St Alex HSS 2-0.
