Chandigarh Makes History by Qualifying for U20 Men's NFC Quarter-Finals
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Synopsis
Chandigarh made history by qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men's National Football Championship after a narrow 1-0 victory over Telangana. This win marked their perfect run in Group E, setting them up for a quarter-final match against either Delhi or Andhra Pradesh on April 17.
Key Takeaways
- Chandigarh qualified for U20 NFC quarter-finals.
- Manveer Singh scored the decisive goal.
- Chandigarh finished Group E with a perfect record.
- Uttarakhand defeated Pondicherry 5-1 in another match.
- Upcoming quarter-final against either Delhi or Andhra Pradesh.
Narainpur, April 14 (NationPress) Chandigarh secured their spot in the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men's National Football Championship quarter-finals following a 1-0 victory against Telangana at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, on Monday.
With Manveer Singh scoring a last-minute goal, Chandigarh finished Group E with an impeccable record of nine points, having previously defeated Pondicherry (5-0) and Uttarakhand (2-0). They are set to clash with the Group F winner, either Delhi or Andhra Pradesh, in the quarter-final on April 17.
In the final match of Group E, a non-decisive game, Uttarakhand triumphed over Pondicherry with a score of 5-1 to conclude their campaign on a high note.
Needing just a point to clinch a quarter-final spot, Chandigarh was satisfied with the score remaining goalless for most of the match. For Telangana, it was a must-win situation, but they couldn't penetrate the Chandigarh defense, which achieved its third consecutive clean sheet.
In a dramatic finish, Manveer Singh netted his third goal of the tournament during the fifth minute of stoppage time to secure all three points for Chandigarh. After Surjakanta Singh's shot was partially cleared by Telangana, Manveer controlled the loose ball and expertly slotted it past goalkeeper Bairam Giri Prakash.
In another match, Animesh Kumar Yadav shone with a hat-trick for Uttarakhand. He initiated the scoring with a low shot into the corner in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time, converted a penalty in the 69th minute, and completed his hat-trick with a powerful long-range strike in the 72nd minute.
Ashish Rawat (54') and Lokesh Joshi (80') contributed two additional goals for Uttarakhand. Pondicherry captain N Hariharan managed to briefly reduce the deficit in the 63rd minute, taking advantage of a poor back pass to lift the ball over the goalkeeper.
