Ten best matches in the MDFA Elite Division in 2015

by Balbir Singh January 2, 2016

2015 is now behind us, and we have decided to bring to you this year’s top ten games of the 2015-16 season from Mumbai’s premier football competition; the Mumbai District Football Association Elite Division. 300 plus teams register for the M.D.F.A, and for over 5 enthralling divisions, where local clubs from every corner of Mumbai lock horns with each other to be crowned as the best football team in Mumbai, the Elite Division is ranked as the topmost division of Mumbai District Football Association (M.D.F.A), where one rises against all odds, all the way from the lowest (3^rd Division).

With the year coming to an end let’s recap the ongoing prestigious and the topmost Division of M.D.F.A. which is the Elite Division, which kicked-off in mid-September at Mumbai’s own Cooperage Stadium.

Air India 7-0 PIFA Colaba

Air India demonstrated arguably its finest performance (till date) for the ongoing 2015-16 season in their 7-0 demolition of PIFA Colaba; champions Air India registered their first win of the season in the process. Struggling for fitness, a new look PIFA Colaba-side struggled from the first-minute against a hungry Air India team. who required just 12 minutes to open their account through Neil Gaekwad before Ashkar C.V doubled Air India’s advantage in the 33rd minute. The goals came thick-and-quick thereafter as a 7-0 win further uplifted Air India’s ambition to the inevitable.

Central Bank of India 2-1 Western Railway

Central Bank of India continued their dream start to their campaign, when they beat Western Railways 2-1; thanks to a last-gasp winner from Prathamesh Kasare. It took awhile for the sides to get along on yet another hot afternoon in Mumbai, but Central Bank of India made the breakthrough in the 37th minute, when Russell Galbano rose highest to head home a corner. Western Railways got their reward for a positive start in the second-45 minutes of the game, as Bankers failed to deal with a cross from a corner, which was taken short allowing Prabal C. make a run into the six yards area and tap home Western Railways’ equalizer in the 55th minute. But, there was room for late drama, and in the 3rd minute of stoppage time, Prathamesh Kasare’s attempted cross went over the goalkeeper and into the side-netting.

O.N.G.C. 8-2 G.M. Sports

A crazy game of football and an enthralling 90-minutes of football which concluded 8-2 in favour of ONGC. Although the game wasn’t entirely as the full-time scoreline suggests. The match displayed end to end football as both teams had one agenda on their minds: attack. But one might consider that GM Sposrts must have had their shooting boots left at home when one would consider the amount of opportunities the team failed to convert which cost them at the end of the day. The game could have easily have easily been ended at 10-6 or 12-7, but it settled at 8-2 in one of the most jaw dropping encounters of the elite division encounters.

Central Railways 2-1 Kenkre FC

Central Railways were in high spirits after returning from Bhusaval as winners of an all-India Tournament. Central Railways showed similar form as they stunned Kenkre FC with two quick fire goals inside the opening twenty minutes. However Kenkre pulled one back in the 30th minute and pressed hard for an equaliser before half time. Their bid to level the scores was aided after striker Rashid Shaikh was sent off for a dangerous foul on Kenkre’s Shaun Fernandes. The ten men of Central Railways came out in the second half with a mission and resolutely defended against a Kenkre side which threw the kitchen sink at them. Central Railways held on for a memorable victory as Kenkre were left wondering how they allowed the game to slip away.

There was to be yet another goal for Mumbai F.C as they scored five goals for the second time running.

R.C.F. 3-2 PIFA Colaba

A game which consisted of a number of too many twists and turns, eventually ended slightly in favour of R.C.F. to the disappointment of Colaba who having scored an equalizer in the 90^th minute conceded in stoppage time themselves to lose marginally. Both the teams came into the game without any win and having failed to reach the heights both the teams reached at certain points last season. PIFA Colaba were third from bottom after losing both their opening games while RCF had only managed a point in the new campaign so far. It was a great display of character from RCF to keep believing till the last minute and were rewarded with the three points.

PIFA Colaba 4-3 R.C.F.

Among the first few games, since the turn of the year, PIFA Colaba edged RCF 4-3 in a highly dramatic contest at Cooperage. PIFA Colaba helped themselves to a 3-0 lead thanks to strikes from Elvis Jay Panarkar and Zeeshan Shaikh added to Elvis Ozowara’s first half strike around the hour mark. Ubaid Ansari reduced the deficit for RCF in the 63rd minute, only for Elvis Ozowara to restore the three goal cushion for the Colaba outfit. RCF who refused to give up struck twice in the dying minutes as PIFA Colaba somehow managed to keep them at bay and hobble their to three points.

Kenkre FC 6-4 Western Railways

Arguably the game of the season came in early days of February when an Arish Sutaria inspired Kenkre FC ran out 6-4 winners against Western Railways. A Arish Sutaria double added to Derrick Joseph’s strike made sure Kenkre went into the break with a 3-1 lead. Linekar Machado gave Western Railways hope with a goal early in the second half before Arish Sutaria completed his hat-trick and restore Kenkre’s two goal lead. But Western Railways stunned Kenkre with a brace from Sanjeev K.V who leveled the score at 4-4 with five minutes to play. Just as we thought the drama was over Arish Sutaria bagged two more goals in the final minute of the game to help Kenkre to a 6-4 win after a roller coaster of a contest. The game was filled with drama from start to end but it was the Arish Sutaria show which grabbed the headlines.

Western Railways 5-3 Union Bank of India

Western Railways took a leaf from Kenkre’s book to stage a similar late show to down Union Bank of India 5-3 thriller. Titus Uttankar’s early brace saw the Bankers build a strong looking 2-0 lead which was soon halved by Reuben D’Souza in the 33rd minute before Linekar Machado pulled the Railmen level early in the second half. Pratik Koli restored UBI’s lead on the hour mark before Charanjit Singh equalized few minutes later. Western Railways stole the game in the dying minutes when twin strikes from Ravikant Naidu and Charanjeet Singh gave Western Railways a 5-3 win over UBI.

Union Bank of India 3-2 Mumbai Customs

A game between two evenly matched teams went right down till the wire as a Pratik Koli led UBI side downed Mumbai Customs to register a dramatic 3-2 win. After a barren first half, Pratik Koli eased UBI into a 2-0 lead thanks to a brace in the first fifteen minutes from Pratik Koli before Mumbai Customs rallied back into the game with goals from Sagar Bedekar in the 75th minute and Francisco Salin in the 86th minute.

Central Bank of India 3-2 Union Bank of India

In a late season battle of the banks, Central Bank of India overcame Union Bank of India in dramatic fashion. Russel Galbaro gave CBI the lead on 20 minutes, but UBI got back on level terms just before half time through Shanon Periera to set up a great second half. Just minutes from the restart, CBI’s Raj Bhor struck a fine free kick to put his side back in front, before Andrew made it 3-1 in their favour eight minutes later. CBI’s victory seemed all but confirmed when Tejas Raut was sent off for UBI, but Pratik Koli’s goal set up a grand stand finish. The ten men of UBI put CBI under extreme pressure, but CBI held on for a rare win.