Riding on brace by Nikhil Parulekar, Kandivli school beat Bombay Scottish 2-1 in MSSA Div 1 final
Nikhil Parulekar wanted to prove a point to everyone who said football is just a game for him. The 10th standard student of St. Lawrence (Kandivli) did just that scoring a brace as his side won the MSSA Division I trophy beating Bombay Scottish (Mahim) 2-1 in the final played at the Cooperage ground, Colaba on Friday.
Parulekar's parents don't know which football match their son was playing. "I don't know how they will react. For them, it's just another football match where I scored. It's recreation and something to pass time for them but it's more than just a game for me." said Parulekar after the game.
It took St Lawrence just four minutes to come out of the blocks. The Kandivli side making the most of a defensive scramble by Scottish in the box after they failed to clear a header that hit the post from Karthik Rele.
A minute later Parulekar and Lawrence sat at a comfortable two-goal-lead. The 'keeper enjoying a Manuel Neuer-like moment rushing out of his penalty box not realising that the midfielder had all the time in the world to comfortably place his shot.
"The onus was on us to go out and win. I was at the right place at the right time, twice," said Parulekar, an avid Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid fan.
Bombay Scottish had beaten defending champions Don Bosco (Matunga) in the semifinal two days ago and thus knew how to hit back. Perseverance paid off with the goal coming via Dikshant Verma who celebrated his goal with a finger on your lip action to the St. Lawrence supporters. With Scottish fighting for every inch of the ball, the match was far from over with both sides going into the half-way mark at 2-1.
The second half saw a mix of caution and attacking play from St. Lawrence. Showing a good example of grinding out a win and seeing of the game they ensured their maiden first division win in the school's history.
Much of the credit has to go to coach Lachman Singh Bisht. The former Mahindra United player has spent 11 years with the Kandivli side and has seen the rapid development in the side as they earned promotion into the first division two years ago and finished fifth last year.
In five group games, the Kandivli side won four and drew one smashing Jamnabai for four and putting six past St. Lawrence (Borivli).
"The first thing I told the boys was that we aren't playing the team who beat Don Bosco. One needs to remove the fear element from the game. The team knew they were this close to victory and showed what they've learnt in traning by holding on to the lead," said Bisht who has spent years in Europe earning his coaching badges.
In the first final of the day, St Dominic Savio (Andheri) ensured they will be joining the big boys in the first division next season as they beat St. Joseph (Wadala) 3-1 on penalties in the second division final.
Stopwatch: St Lawrence (Kandivli) 2 (N Parulekar 2) bt Bombay Scottish (Mahim) 1 (D Verma)
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