Anson Tauro strikes as Matunga lads clinch U-17 trophy; Cathedral & John Connon girls and Bombay Scottish boys win U-17 and U-14 titles respectively
Don Bosco (Matunga) players are all smiles after defeating Navy Children (Colaba) to clinch the District Sports Office under-17 football title at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pics/Suresh Karkera
Anson Tauro's peach of an effort enabled Don Bosco (Matunga) beat Navy Children School & Junior College (Colaba) 1-0 to win the District Sports Office (DSO) inter-school U-17 football tourney at Azad Maidan yesterday.
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Missed chances
Industrious midfielder Anson, with his speedy runs down the left was brilliant and provided a couple of assists which, however, were not converted by his teammates. From one such run, Anson with a low diagonal pass, found Faiz Siddique unmarked in front of the rival goal, but the latter's feeble left-footer was easily gathered by goalkeeper Gopendra Kumar midway through the second half.
Cathedral & John Connon girls after winning the DSO under-17 title at Azad Maidan yesterday
A couple of minutes later, Anson took the onus upon himself to give Don Bosco the vital breakthrough. Following a well-orchestrated move Krishna Karkera from the left flank played the ball back for Anson, who, with a clinical first-timed left-footed shot from the top of the rival box, sent the ball swerving past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Gopendra and crashing into the far top corner of the net. The effort saw the Bosco coach Leslie Machado, the substitutes and the ex-students, who had come to support the team, jump with joy.
Thereafter, the older and stronger Navy Children players pressed hard in search of the equaliser which proved elusive as the Bosco boys were resolute in defence. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Ananya Purushottum was instrumental in Cathedral & John Connon (Fort) defeating Bombay Scottish (Mahim) 4-2 via the tie-breaker to win the girls U-17 crown. The match finished in a goalless draw.
Bombay Scottish players with their trophy after winning the DSO under-14 title
Ananya saves the day
An agile Ananya made two crucial saves in the penalty shootout duel while her teammates, Saiya Mehta, Kyra Aggrawal, Zehaan Jaikishan and Tanisha Laud, all successfully converted from the 'spot'. Bombay Scottish could only score through Deneese Pereira and Ananya Biswas.
U-14 final, a close affair
There was joy for Bombay Scottish as they claimed the boys U-14 title defeating St Mary's ICSE (Mazagon) 3-2 via the tie-breaker after the match ended goalless. Craig Salve, Nathan Mathias and Aryaan Bhat were on target for Scottish, while St Mary's scored through Hridya Hariya and Joshua Mendes.
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