The encounter was a crucial do-or-die fixture, particularly for SSA, whose qualification hopes depended on a positive result. CFCI entered the match with a perfect record, having already secured impressive wins against Kenkre FC (4-1) and Conscient Sports (8-0). SSA, meanwhile, had opened their account with a solid 3-0 victory over Conscient.

Playing at their home ground, the boys in red of SSA began with immediate intensity. Winger Jay Gurav displayed exceptional individual skill right from the kickoff, dribbling past three CFCI defenders before releasing a dangerous through pass that narrowly missed connecting with his teammate in the penalty box.

The home crowd erupted in the 20th minute when SSA broke the deadlock. Following quick exchanges, defender Md. Husain launched a long-range shot from over 25 yards. The ball smashed off the crossbar and back into play, where alert striker Shaurya Mungekar pounced on the rebound, firing a left-footed shot directly into the top right corner for the opener. SSA maintained their composure and possession to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The second half became a chaotic, end-to-end affair. While SSA looked comfortable retaining possession and dictating the flow, CFCI were lethal on quick counter-attacks.

The game changed in the 61st minute with a game-defining substitution for CFCI. Siddhant Kapoor, the super-sub, scored a stunning equalizer with his very first attack upon entering the field, leveling the score and injecting new life into the match.

The visitors’ momentum was short-lived, however. In the 70th minute, SSA restored their lead through winger Jay Gurav, whose filthy footwork and flawless strike put the home side ahead once more.

The lead, though, was short-lived. Just four minutes later, a dramatic turn saw the visitors equalize again, this time via an unfortunate own goal by Somaiya skipper Dash Bhenwal following a defensive lapse in the 74th minute.

With the score tied at 2-2 and the clock winding down, CFCI completed their strong finish. In the 85th minute, CFCI striker Om Vishwakarma netted the winner, capping a stunning second-half comeback.

The final whistle confirmed CFCI’s victory, ending the match 3-2. SSA started with intensity, they couldn’t cope with CFCI’s strong finish, allowing the visitors to complete their Group D qualification with a perfect three wins in three games and secure their spot in the next round. Somaiya will now play their final match against Kenkre FC to conclude their AIFF Sub Junior League campaign.

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Also Read: Hope United Start MPL Season

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Manipur led 2-0 at half-time with goals from Lourembam Naocha Singh (17’) and Ngayungmi Kashung (37’). Amom Krish Singh (90+2’) added the third in the stoppage time of the match.

The match was billed as a clash of equals, with both teams unbeaten and having scored 13 goals apiece en route to the final. But on the day, Manipur’s hunger, intensity, and tactical discipline left West Bengal struggling to cope.

Manipur stamped their authority early, breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute. Khutleibam Sultan surged down the right and delivered a precise low cross to Lourembam Naocha Singh, who controlled with a deft first touch before drilling a powerful left-footer past West Bengal goalkeeper Suva Barai.

Buoyed by the opener, Manipur dictated the tempo with clever passing and relentless pressing, while West Bengal’s attack faltered amid missed-passes and a lack of cohesion.

The pressure told again in the 37th minute. Sultan was the creator once more, swinging in a teasing cross that Yumnam Sonamani headed goalward. Though Barai parried the attempt, Kashung pounced on the rebound to make it 2-0.

West Bengal, featuring tournament top-scorer Rajdeep Paul, were surprisingly subdued. Paul, with seven goals to his name, was effectively neutralised by Manipur’s compact defence. Their best chance for West Bengal arrived in the 80th minute when Rintu Malik threaded a ball to Paul, but Alex Oinam’s timely block thwarted the danger.

As the final ticked into stoppage time, Manipur added gloss to the scoreline. In the second minute of injury time, Sonamani’s clever assist set up Amom Krish Singh, who coolly slotted home his sixth goal of the tournament, sparking jubilant celebrations on the Manipur bench.

– Credits AIFF Media

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T.G English School will look to be only the second school from Manipur to win the title in Subroto Cup after Ibemcha HSS won back to back to titles way back in 1979 and 1980. The school from Bishnupur has already bettered their performance from the 2023 edition where they were knocked out in the semi-finals by the eventual champions Govt. Model SSS.

They began their 2024 campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Indore Public School, Madhya Pradesh,    7-0 in the first group match following up with another strong performance, overcoming Sainik Awasiya Mahavidyalaya, Bhaktapur, Nepal, with a 4-0 victory. In their last group match, a 1-1 draw against Chowbaga High School, West Bengal, saw them advance to the quarterfinals on the strength of a superior goal difference. In the quarterfinals, they edged out Amenity Public School, Uttarakhand, 1-0, thanks to Mianithoba’s crucial strike. Their semi-final clash saw a hard-fought 1-0 victory against Sri Lanka Schools Football Association, securing their place in the final.

H. Imo Singh, Coach, T.G English School said, “We are fully prepared, both mentally and physically, and confident about tomorrow’s final. Our goal is to bring the trophy home to Manipur. We respect Meghalaya as a strong team and will not underestimate them. Having participated in the Subroto Cup four times, I can say it’s always been a great experience.”

Myngken Christian HSS, Meghalaya will be playing their second Subroto Cup final, their previous one was 13 years back in 2011 when they lost to NCC West Bengal and Sikkim Battalion 2-1. They have been rampant throughout the tournament and will look to be the fifth team from the football crazy state of Meghalaya to lift the Junior Boys trophy after St. Anthony’s HSS, Shillong in 1978, Government Boys HS, Shillong in 1999, Om Roy Memorial School, Shillong in 2013 and the latest being Hopewell Elias HSS, Shillong in 2013.

They had an explosive start to their campaign, thrashing St. Francis Xavier High School, D&D & DNH, 23-0 and continued their strong run by defeating defending champions Govt. Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 37-B, Chandigarh, 1-0, with Banganson scoring the match-winner . A 5-0 win over Kejariwal +2 Higher Secondary Vidyalaya, Bihar, on Match Day 3 ensured their top spot in Group F and their place in the knockout stages. In the quarterfinals, Myngken Christian HSS comfortably beat Minerva Public School, Mohali, 3-1, with Banganson netting a hat-trick. They followed it up with a dominant 7-0 victory over Govt. Secondary School, Yazali, Arunachal Pradesh, in the semi-final, with another hat-trick from Banganson to book their spot in the final.

The front three of Meghalaya, Banganson, Alicestar and Mebanlamiynit have been in terrific goal scoring form throughout the tournament scoring 28 goals between them, Banganson has scored ten goals including two hat-tricks in the quarterfinal and semi-final clashes while the other two have scored nine each.

“It will be a tough game against a strong Manipur team, but we are well-prepared for the challenge. We’ve defeated some good teams, including last year’s champions Chandigarh, and our boys have worked hard to reach this stage. We are determined to give our best and make it a memorable final. Overall the Subroto Cup has been an incredible experience for us, and the organisation has been outstanding. We’re excited for tomorrow’s match and will do everything we can to be the champions.” Kitborlang Kharlukhi, Head coach of Myngken Christian Higher Secondary School, shared his excitement ahead of the final.

The final promises to be an exciting affair and there are many names that will be heard again in the years to come and their journey, like many others before them, are likely to begin at the hallowed turf of Delhi’s Ambedkar Stadium.

Also Read: MYJ-GMSC and Their Tough Battle for Qualification

Also Read: Kenkre FC’s Rollercoaster Ride: Crucial Win Sets Up Tense Qualification Battle

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Manipur took the lead in the 27th minute of the final, courtesy of a goal from Irom David Mangang. Telangana were not to be outplayed though and hit back via Suhel Sekh in the 42nd minute. The high tempo nature of the match calmed down in the second half with both teams perhaps aware of the stakes. The game then inevitably fizzled towards a shootout.

In the shootout Telangana’s Md Sajid, Mohammed Omar Farooq, Thongam Yaiphaba Singh and Syed Faizan Ahmed Hashmi put away their spot kicks successfully and goalkeeper Alok Nishad went on to save from two of Manipur’s takers to give his side the title.

Winning starts for Manipur and West Bengal in Junior Girls’ NFC Tier 1

ANANTAPUR, ANDHRA PRADESH: Manipur and West Bengal sailed to victories on the opening day of action in Group B of the Junior Girls’ National Football Championship 2024- 2025 Tier 1, at the RDT Stadium in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday, August 11, 2024.

Manipur beat Haryana 3-0 in the last group stage fixture, goals from Nameriakpam Arina Devi (31′), Ningthoujam Olivia Chanu (36′) and Lourembam Menaka Devi (75′) enough to shut out Haryana and take an emphatic victory. 

In the day’s second game, West Bengal beat Goa 4-1. West Bengal took the lead courtesy of a Rimpa Halder goal in the 34th minute, only for Goa to hit back via Pearl Fernandes four minutes later. Captain Mampi Roy’s strike on the stroke of half time gave West Bengal a slender lead. It was one way traffic in the second half, as Kumkum Saren (47′) and Roy (64′) completed a comprehensive victory.

Monday, August 12, 2024 fixtures:

Junior Boys’ Tier 1: Narainpur, Chhattisgarh

Final: Odisha vs West Bengal (2:30 pm)

Junior Girls’ Tier 1: Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh

Group D: Odisha vs Chhattisgarh (9 am); Mizoram vs Delhi (3 pm)

Also Read: Rajasthan new champions of Junior Girls’ NFC 2024-25 Tier 2

Also Read: Punjab FC posts comfortable win over Mumbai City, Kerala Blasters qualify for knockouts

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TW3 Ratings for 2024-25 Season:

• Sub-Junior Youth League Player: 12.80
• Junior Youth League Player: 14.80

Age Cut-offs for 2024-25 Season:

• Sub-Junior Youth League: Players born between 01.01.2012 and 31.12.2013.
• Junior Youth League: Players born between 01.01.2010 and 31.12.2011.

By implementing stricter TW3 ratings, the AIFF Medical Committee seeks to ensure fairness and accuracy in bone age assessments. This change addresses previous shortcomings and sets a consistent benchmark for all participants, promoting credibility in the bone age verification process.

The AIFF remains dedicated to fostering a fair and competitive environment for young footballers across India, confident that these measures will significantly contribute to the grassroots development and growth of football.

Credits-AIFF Media

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The Tier 1 of the Dr. BC Roy Trophy will be played in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, from July 27 to August 12. The venue and dates for the Tier 2 will be announced later.

The Tier 1 of the Junior Girls’ National Football Championship will be played in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, from August 3 to 20. Tier 2 is at Belgaum, Karnataka from July 27 to August 9.      

AIFF Acting Secretary General Mr. M Satyanarayan said before the draw, “This is perhaps the first time a draw ceremony is being conducted in the Football House without late Anil Kamat. Anil sir, who passed away early this month, played an integral role in shaping the Competition Department. It is with a heavy heart that we progress without him.” Late Anil Kamat was the Assistant General Secretary and Director of Competitions for many years before he passed away on June 4, 2024. 

“We, at the AIFF, have worked extensively to establish a calendar for Indian football. While it is difficult to follow the calendar very strictly with so many variables, I am pleased to say that we have been able to follow it closely with regards to the junior NFCs,” said the AIFF Acting Secretary General.

The BC Roy Trophy Tier 1 will see 16 teams divided into four groups with the group winners progressing to the semi-finals. The BC Roy Trophy Tier 2 will have 19 teams divided into four groups – three groups with five and one group with four – with the group winners progressing to the semi-finals.

The Junior Girls’ NFC Tier 1 will have 16 teams equally divided into four groups and the four group winners will move to the semi-finals. The Junior Girls’ NFC Tier 2 will have 18 teams divided into four groups – two groups with five teams and two with four – and the four group winners will move to the semi-finals. 

The 2023-24 edition of the BC Roy Trophy Tier 1 saw Uttar Pradesh being champions in Bhubaneswar and Delhi winning the Tier 2 title in Jabalpur.

Manipur were crowned champions of the Junior Girls’ NFC Tier 1 in Bhubaneswar, and Goa being the winners of Tier 2 in Jaipur. 

The groupings for the Junior Boy’s National Football Championship, Tier 1 –

Group A – Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram, SAI, Odisha

Group B – Jharkhand, Goa, Maharashtra, Delhi

Group C – Punjab, Chandigarh, Meghalaya, Karnataka

Group D – West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu

Fixtures:

Group A:

July 27: Uttar Pradesh vs Odisha; Mizoram vs SAI

July 29: Odisha vs Mizoram; SAI vs Uttar Pradesh

July 31: Uttar Pradesh vs Mizoram; SAI vs Odisha

Group B:

August 3: Jharkhand vs Delhi; Goa vs Maharashtra

August 5: Delhi vs Goa; Maharashtra vs Jharkhand

August 7: Jharkhand vs Goa; Maharashtra vs Delhi

Group C:

July 28: Punjab vs Karnataka; Chandigarh vs Meghalaya

July 30: Karnataka vs Chandigarh; Meghalaya vs Punjab

August 1: Punjab vs Chandigarh; Meghalaya vs Karnataka

Group D:

August 4: West Bengal vs Tamil Nadu; Chhattisgarh vs Kerala

August 6: Tamil Nadu vs Chhattisgarh; Kerala vs West Bengal

August 8: West Bengal vs Chhattisgarh; Kerala vs Tamil Nadu

Semi-finals:

August 3: Winners Group A vs Winners Group C

August 10: Winners Group B vs Winners Group D

Final: August 12

The groupings for the Junior Boy’s National Football Championship, Tier 2–

Group A – Nagaland, Andaman & Nicobar, Manipur, Lakshadweep, Haryana

Group B – Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tripura, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat

Group C – Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Assam

Group D – Rajasthan, Pondicherry, Bihar, Telangana

The groupings for the Junior Girls’ National Football Championship, Tier 1 –

Group A – Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar

Group B – Manipur, Goa, West Bengal, Haryana

Group C – Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat

Group D – Odisha, Mizoram, Delhi, Chhattisgarh

Fixtures:

Group A:

August 3: Jharkhand vs Bihar; Andhra Pradesh vs Himachal Pradesh

August 5: Bihar vs Andhra Pradesh; Himachal Pradesh vs Jharkhand

August 7: Jharkhand vs Andhra Pradesh; Himachal Pradesh vs Bihar

Group B:

August 11: Manipur vs Haryana; Goa vs West Bengal

August 13: Haryana vs Goa; West Bengal vs Manipur

August 15: Manipur vs Goa; West Bengal vs Haryana   

Group C:

August 4: Tamil Nadu vs Gujarat; Kerala vs Arunachal Pradesh

August 6: Gujarat vs Kerala; Arunachal Pradesh vs Tamil Nadu

August 8: Tamil Nadu vs Kerala; Arunachal Pradesh vs Gujarat

Group D:

August 12: Odisha vs Chhattisgarh; Mizoram vs Delhi

August 14: Chhattisgarh vs Mizoram; Delhi vs Odisha

August 16: Odisha vs Mizoram; Delhi vs Chhattisgarh

Semi-finals:

August 10: Winners Group A vs Winners Group C

August 18: Winners Group B vs Winners Group D

Final: August 20

The groupings for the Junior Girls’ National Football Championship, Tier 2 – 

Group A– Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir

Group B – Rajasthan, Lakshadweep, Maharashtra, Tripura, Pondicherry

Group C – Assam, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Telangana

Group D – Sikkim, SAI, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh

Fixtures:

Group A:

July 27: Uttar Pradesh vs Andaman & Nicobar; Jammu & Kashmir vs Karnataka

July 29: Karnataka vs Chandigarh; Jammu and Kashmir vs Uttar Pradesh

July 31: Chandigarh vs Jammu and Kashmir; Andaman & Nicobar vs Karnataka

August 2: Andaman & Nicobar vs Jammu and Kashmir; Uttar Pradesh vs Chandigarh

August 4: Karnataka vs Uttar Pradesh; Chandigarh vs Andaman & Nicobar

Group B:

July 27: Maharashtra vs Lakshadweep; Pondicherry vs Tripura

July 29: Tripura vs Rajasthan; Pondicherry vs Maharashtra

July 31: Rajasthan vs Pondicherry; Lakshadweep vs Tripura

August 2: Lakshadweep vs Pondicherry; Maharashtra vs Rajasthan

August 4: Tripura vs Maharashtra; Rajasthan vs Lakshadweep

Group C:

August 1: Assam vs Telangana; Uttarakhand vs Punjab

August 3: Telangana vs Uttarakhand; Punjab vs Assam

August 5: Assam vs Uttarakhand; Punjab vs Telangana

Group D:

August 1: Sikkim vs Madhya Pradesh; SAI vs Meghalaya

August 3: Madhya Pradesh vs SAI; Meghalaya vs Sikkim

August 5: Sikkim vs SAI; Meghalaya vs Madhya Pradesh

Semi-finals:

August 7: Winners Group A vs Winners Group C; Winners Group B vs Winners Group D

Final: August 9

Also Read: Indian trio plays decisive roles in ZNK Dinamo Zagreb’s maiden cup title

Also Read: Probables announced for SAFF U17 Men’s Championship camp

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