Somaiya Sports Academy Dominates on Debut with Statement Win in AIFF Elite Youth League Qualifiers

by FC October 3, 2025

Mumbai – Somaiya Sports Academy (SSA) announced their arrival on the national stage with an emphatic performance, securing a dominant 6-0 victory over Hungry Hearts Soccer School (HHSS) in their opening fixture of the AIFF Elite Youth League Qualifiers.

SSA is competing in the Maharashtra Zone Qualifiers, where 20 teams are distributed across six groups, all fighting for a spot in the national round. SSA has been drawn into the challenging Group C alongside HHSS, SSE BFC Soccer Schools (Mumbai), and Kenkre FC.

The path forward is demanding: the six group toppers will advance to a knockout stage, where they will compete for the top three spots. Only two teams from the entire zone will ultimately qualify for the prestigious national round.

In the opening fixture Somaiya Sports Academy locked horns against Hungry Hearts Soccer School (HHSS) at the Cooperage Stadium. The SSA boys exuded confidence and aggression from the start. Early chances were created, including a free-kick from skipper Anush Chavan that narrowly missed the bar, while an long range ambitious attempt was saved by keeper.

The breakthrough arrived courtesy of early substitute Gururaj Mane, who wasted no time marking his presence. In the 42md minute, a sublime effort initiated by Akshat Padaya saw him run from his own half, dismantling three to four defenders before delivering a precise through pass to Gururaj, who slotted the ball into the net. The momentum swing was immediate. Just three minutes later, SSA doubled their advantage with an outrageous volley by Yash Bhandare, sending the team into the break with a commanding 2-0 lead.

SSA began the second half with even greater attacking intent, and were quickly rewarded in the 49th minute. Goal-scorer Yash Bhandare turned provider, delivering a superb run down the right flank before squaring the ball to Eshan Mohammed, who finished with a first-touch strike into the bottom left corner for the third goal.

Despite being 3-0 down, HHSS maintained a high defensive line, a risky tactic that was soon punished. Skipper Anush Chavan capitalized, launching a direct long ball over the top of defense line. Neelabh Bhoktiari timed his run perfectly to bring down the ball and finish a simple one-on-one chance into the bottom right corner.

In the very next attack, Anush was instrumental again, linking up in midfield to deliver the final pass to Gururaj Mane inside the box, who finished with a first-touch strike to the far post for his brace. The final blow was struck just before the whistle with an amazing solo effort by Dikshant Konar, who carried the ball from midfield, beat two defenders inside the box, and smashed a powerful strike into the right corner to seal the comprehensive 6-0 victory.

Looking at the convincing win and crucial win in this short format tournament, Somaiya Head Coach Harshil Somaiya stated “when we play a short league format, winning the first match is very crucial. It sets the tone for the tournament and gives the team confidence and momentum.”

Despite a massive win of 6-0 among these young players it’s also need to keep in minded to being grounded and Coach rightfully mentions that “We also remind the players that this is just the beginning. One win doesn’t decide the competition, so we stay grounded, keep improving, and focus on the next match.”

Other Results Across the AIFF Elite Youth League Qualifiers

In a Group G Qualifiers clash, Pune’s Adrenaline Sports triumphed over Pune Pioneers with a commanding 8-3 victory. Ayan Shedge led the charge with a hat-trick, while Samar Prasad and Joshua Chandekar each scored a brace to seal the emphatic win for Adrenaline Sports.

Over in Group D, Savvy Swaraaj FC hosted Thane City FC in Ahmedabad and cruised to a 6-1 victory, with forward Chittransh scoring a brilliant hat-trick to secure the three points for Savvy Swaraaj.

In Group H, the encounter between Rising Pune F.C. and Sportiqo Football Academy ended in a 1-1 draw, with both teams fighting hard but unable to break the deadlock.

With numerous matches yet to be played, the stage is set for an intense qualifying round. Stay tuned to Football Counter for updates as the race for the national round continues.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for all the latest happenings in the world of Indian Football.