Team Herald
PANJIM: Rosary Higher Secondary School, Navelim and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Cortalim, defending champions in the senior and junior boys, showed why they have been the best in schools football in Goa when they stormed into the final of their respective categories of the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports tournament at the Tilak Maidan, on Thursday.
In the semi-finals, Rosary HSS routed Shree Ameya Vidyaprasarak Mandal Higher Secondary School 6-2 to set up a final date for the senior boys’ title with Vasantrao Dempo Higher Secondary School of Arts and Science who upstaged St Xavier’s Higher Secondary School, Mapusa 2-1.
OLPS edged out Assumpta Convent High School 2-1 for a summit clash in the junior boys with Our Lady of Rosary High School who eased past Progress High School 3-1. The finals will be played on Saturday at the same venue.
The semi-final between OLPS and Assumpta was a tightly fought encounter in the second half.
Assumpta looked to be at the receiving end for most of the first half but goalkeeper Bevan Fernandes showed maturity beyond his age, bringing off four saves, two shots coming off the boot of OLPS striker Nicklas Noronha, who could not be denied for long.
It was a Bevan show all along and Asumpta threatened to steal the thunder with an early strike in the second half when Chadel Fernandes found the net in the 43rd minute to put them in the lead. But OLPS lads held their nerves and turned the match on its head when they struck twice within a span of two minutes through Nicklas and Vasim Inamdar in the 56th and 57th minutes to snatch victory and a place in the final.
Rosary HSS, Navelim came strongly into the second half after taking a 2-0 first half lead to pump in four goals and log the highest victory of the day. Joybert Almeida and Denson Fernandes shared the goalscoring honours with two strikes each while Stendly Fernandes and Savelon Cardozo booted a goal in either half to complete Rosary’s domination.
Joswel Cardozo was the hero in Our Lady of Rosary’s win scoring two first half goals (14 th and 28 th minutes) while Maxwell Furtado consolidated their lead in the second session scoring off a penalty in the 38 th minute.
Omkar Shetgaonkar scored from the spot in the 35th minute but it had little impact on the outcome of the match.
Omkar Parwar (6th minute) and substitute Leslie Machado (43 rd minute) helped Vasantrao Dempo HSS take a firm grip of the proceedings in the senior boys semis. Although Xavier’s made a late charge, Lloyd Mascarenhas’ 78 th minute strike wasn’t enough.
