MFA Nadkarni Cup: MYJ-GMSC and Mumbay FC Draw; CFCI & Mumbai City FC Secure Semifinal Spots

by Chittu Shetty December 6, 2024

In a hard-fought encounter at the MFA Nadkarni Cup 2024, MYJ-GMSC and Mumbay FC battled to a 1-1 draw.

A result that leaves the qualification for the semifinals hanging in the balance for Group B. With this outcome, MYJ-GMSC now faces a wait, relying on the upcoming match between Mumbay FC and MH Oranje FC on December 7th for their position in Group B. Meanwhile, Group A has already seen CFCI and Mumbai City FC secure their spots in the next stage.

The match began with MYJ-GMSC dominating possession and dictating the tempo early on, but despite creating a few promising chances, they couldn’t break the deadlock.

However, the breakthrough came in the dying minutes of first half when Keegan delivered a spectacular free-kick from 25+ yards out. The ball struck the woodwork before finding its way into the net, giving MYJ-GMSC a 1-0 lead as the teams headed into the break.

The second half saw a shift in momentum as Mumbay FC came out strong. Newly appointed Head Coach of Mumbay FC Jaywant Pathak made a key substitution, bringing on Lalith Bangera, whose fresh legs added pace to Mumbay’s attack.

Lalith added pace to Mumbay’s attack, and his attempt at a curling shot was just over the bar, signaling his growing influence on the game.

The equalizer came in the late second half, with Parag meeting a well-weighted pass from Lalith to strike a volley. The ball deflected off Nithul legs, sending it into the top corner, leaving goalkeeper Manoj with no chance. The game was now level at 1-1, and both sides fought fiercely for the win in the final moments.

As the game neared its conclusion, tensions flared, and both teams began to engage in a more physical battle. Mumbay FC was reduced to 10 men when subsititue Ashfaq received a direct red card for a foul on Keegan.

Even after this Mumbay were happy to defend deep as this was crucial point with 1 game in hand in contrast MYJ-GMSC would be frustrated with the result. With just 2 points from their first two games, MYJ-GMSC’s qualification hopes are still alive, but they will have to wait for the result of the Mumbay FC vs. MH Oranje FC.

CFCI & Mumbai City FC secure semi-final spot

In the other Group A fixture, CFCI continued their unbeaten run in the 2024-25 season with a narrow 1-0 victory over Mumbai City FC. The only goal of the match came courtesy of Pathurose, who capitalized on a defensive lapse from Nikhil Shinde to slot home and seal the win for CFCI.

This result allowed them to top Group A, securing their semifinal berth alongside Mumbai City FC, who also booked their place in the next stage after a dominant performance earlier in the tournament.

With CFCI and Mumbai City FC already through to the semifinals, all eyes are now on Group B. Stay Tuned to Football Counter for more coverage

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