Don Bosco (Matunga) off to winning start

Don Bosco, Matunga, champions for the five past years, got their MSSA (Mumbai School Sports Association) first division campaign off to a winning start with a 3-1 win over their Borivli branch at the MSSA grounds, Azad Maidan, on Tuesday.

Many were expecting the Matunga side to score the first goal of the new season but it was the Borivli side who took the lead via skipper Cristopher Fernandes's strike in the 11th minute. The Matunga team showed their mentality when the chips are down and got back into the game within five minutes through a Bryce Miranda. Both sides went into half-time with the score tied at 1-1.

It took the holders just two minutes into the second half to take the lead. Rahul Swamy, one of the standout performers in Bosco's title run last season, worked his way into the opposition box and timed his shot to perfection, much to the delight of coach Leslie Machado.

Post that, it was a one-way traffic with the Borivli side trying their best to play in the opposition half but to no avail. The Matunga side had many chances but were made to wait for their third goal. They were finally rewarded for their efforts via Romario D'Souza in the 51st minute.

"The first goal took us by surprise. Then on, it was our goal to go into half-time on par or even ahead. We missed the killer instinct shown by Marc D'Souza (top scorer last season with 11 goals) in front of goal. Thankfully, we got the job done. We're off to a winning start and now it's time to focus on the next game," said Machado.