26 October,2024 06:50 AM IST | Mumbai | Neeraj Anand
Girls U-12 Div-II title winners Nita Mukesh Ambani Junior School at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble
Nita Mukesh Ambani Junior School (Bandra) deservingly claimed top honours in the girls U-12 second division of the MSSA inter-school football tournament with a 1-0 win over Jamnabai Narsee International School (Juhu) in a keenly contested final at the MSSA ground, Azad Maidan on Friday. The Ambani girls were clearly the better side in terms of creating openings and found the match-winner in the seventh minute through a superb effort by midfielder Olivia Harris. She unleashed a brilliant strike into the top corner of the goal following a fine run down the middle.
The margin of victory for the Ambani school could have been higher had they capitalised on the numerous clear-cut chances they received in the second half. Midway through the second half, the Jamnabai girls made a fine attacking move, only to be thwarted by opposition goalkeeper Hrisha Badheka, who came up with a brilliant outstretched save to her left.
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Badheka held on thereafter to retain her side's slender till the final whistle. Both teams qualified for the first division next season. "This team has combined well throughout the tournament. In the final, it was close but we clearly had the better opportunities and should have scored more. Our goalkeeper Hrisha has been consistent throughout and played very well today too," Eudes Kinny, coach of Nita Mukesh Ambani Junior School, told mid-day.
Jamnabai coach Brendon Santos felt his team did not execute their plans well. "We should have made better use of the flanks and had more width in our play. Despite having possession, we were not able to create more chances and that was disappointing," said Santos. Earlier, in the third-place match, Christ Church School (Byculla) captain Misbah Khan struck a fine hat-trick as they recorded a comfortable 3-1 win over Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (Malad). The Malad school reduced the margin through Ishanvi Kenkare.
