The Matunga school overcomes Campion 3-0 to set up title clash with Borivli’s Francis D’Assisi.
The Mahindra Youth Challenge Cup, which is in its inaugural year, maybe the newest competition in the inter-school calendar but so far familiar script seems to be unfolding in the tournament.
The traditional heavy weights Don Bosco, Matunga, and St Francis D’Assisi, Borivli, won their respective semifinals to set up a final clash.
Don Bosco, who have won the under-14 MSSA championship this season, look good to have another trophy in their cabinet after a 3-0 demolition of Campion, Cooperage, at the Karnataka football association ground on Tuesday.
Merick Fernandes scored a brace for the Matunga school, but the striker should have actually scored at least five.
The scorer of the other goal, Floyd Pereira, gave a commanding performance in the midfield by providing crucial passes and snubbing out most of the opposition chances in the midfield itself.
The Bosco boys grabbed the initiative from the kick-off and did not let the Campionites settle down. Playing in a disciplined 4-3-3 formation they knocked the ball around and dominated the possession. Fernandes, one of the tallest players on the field, played in the traditional centre-forward target-man position and was supported on wings by nippy and diminutive Quintin Britto and Neville D’Cunna.
Pereira opened the scoring for Bosco with a superb drive inside the Campion box, beating two defenders en route to the goal.
He then turned provider for Fernandes from a corner, which the lanky forward headed inside the far post, in effect doubling the lead for his side, which they held on till the halftime.
It seemed like Boscoites were trying to kill off the game in the second half as they began it on an aggressive note, launching balls into the Campion penalty area. However, Fernandes was unable to latch on to any of the passes, thus ruining a couple of easy chances.
Campion tried to claw their way back into the game by holding the ball up in the Don Bosco half. The efforts nearly bore fruit when striker Yohan
Dastoor left goalkeeper Mahir Singh stretching but the shot was too high and it hit the crossbar.
Don Bosco shifted their game back to keeping the ball on the ground and things looked easy for them again.
They already had slightly better technique and control than their opponents which added to their much better organisation and discipline. With minutes to go for the final whistle, they caught Campion on the counter and a looping pass from the midfield was lobbed over their goalie Siddartha Shekhar by Fernandes.
In the other semi-final, St Francis D’Assisi needed two second half goals Dani John and Bhushan Kanchan to get past Jamnabai Narsee, Juhu to meet the favourites Don Bosco, Matunga in the final which will take place on Thursday.
Results: Semifinals: Don Bosco, Matunga, 3 (Merick Fernandes 2, Floyd Pereira) bt Campion, Cooperage, 0; St Francis D’Assisi, Borivali, 2 (Dani John, Bhushan Kanchan)
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