MSSA U-16 Football: Faulty match duration mars Day 1

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There was some inconsistency in the duration of the MSSA boys U-16 Div-I matches at Azad Maidan yesterday. The first match between St Mary's SSC and Smt RSB Arya Vidyamandir was played across 50 minutes (25 minutes each half). The second between Don Bosco (Matunga) and St Mary's ICSE however lasted for an hour (30 minutes each way).

The third, between St Joseph's (Wadala) and Jamnabai Narsee was played across 50 minutes, while the next, between Campion and St Lawrence lasted 60 minutes. When mid-day spoke to the referee of the first match, Irfan Shaikh, he blamed MSSA football secretary Sebastian Fernandes. "We were told by Saby sir [Sebastian] that each half is 25 minutes. But when Don Bosco coach Leslie Machado took objection, we allowed them play for 60 minutes," he said.

When Fernandes was asked about this, he said that MSSA's football circular states that the match duration for U-16 Div-I boys is 50 minutes. However, when mid-day referred to the circular, it stated that the match duration is 60 minutes.

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