How Did Mother’s International and Sanskriti Win on Day 1 of the Oriental Cup 2025?

New Delhi, July 21 (NationPress) The defending champions, Sanskriti International School (Girls), showcased an impressive performance, while Mother’s International School triumphed in both their boys' and girls' matches as the Oriental Cup 2025 commenced at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium on Monday. The event featured a dynamic exhibition of school football across both categories.

The Air Force School, Subroto Park, also marked their return with a victory in the boys' bracket, narrowly defeating KV JNU in a thrilling penalty shootout. The day comprised seven competitive matches, alongside an exhibition game between NGOs STRIVE and MIMA, setting an exciting tone for what is anticipated to be a captivating week of youth football.

The tournament was officially inaugurated by Anandi Barua, a former international player and head coach of the national women's senior team, who ceremoniously kicked off the first match.

During her address at the opening, Barua noted, “The Oriental Cup represents the achievements of dedicated community-driven sports initiatives. Witnessing these young athletes compete with such discipline, energy, and skill is truly rewarding. Opportunities like this are essential for nurturing talent and fostering a vibrant football culture at the grassroots in India.”

In the boys' inaugural match, Mother’s International School (MIS) overcame Government Co-ed Senior Secondary School, Dwarka 3-2 on penalties, after the game ended in a 1-1 draw in regulation time. Atiksh Kumar scored first for MIS, but Tejas equalized for the Dwarka side.

MIS continued their momentum with a 2-0 victory in the girls' match against the same school, where Japjit Kaur led off the scoring before Prasansha Jha secured the win.

Sanskriti International School (Boys) claimed a close 1-0 victory over Amity International, Saket, thanks to a penalty by Aarav Mishra. Their girls' team, the reigning champions, displayed an extraordinary performance, crushing Amity Saket 5-0, with Amina Abdali scoring four times and Diksha Joshi adding one more.

In another tight boys' match, The Air Force School, Subroto Park triumphed over Kendriya Vidyalaya JNU in a penalty shootout, winning 4-1 after a 3-3 draw. Goals from Jaabir Singh Sawhney, Arnab Kashyap, and Madhav Singh kept the Air Force School level after Abhinav (2) and Yogesh scored for KV JNU.

The final match saw Amity International, Noida narrowly defeat Kendriya Vidyalaya, RK Puram 1-0, thanks to a first-half goal from Arnav Kumar.

Earlier, STRIVE bested MIMA 4-1 in an exhibition match between the two NGOs, with goals from Akib, Farukh, and Vansh (2) for STRIVE, while Ishant netted the sole goal for MIMA.

The Oriental Cup will continue on Tuesday with seven more knockout matches as teams seek to build early momentum in their title pursuit. The boys' and girls' teams from Tagore International School, Sapphire International School, Delhi Public School Vasant Kunj, Vinay Nagar Bengali Senior Secondary School, and Delhi Public School RK Puram, alongside Government Girls Senior Secondary School and the boys' team from Father Agnel School Noida, DAV Public School Sahibabad, Navy School, and Gyan Bharati School, will all take the pitch.