Can Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Maintain Their Momentum in the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U-20 NFC?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Punjab's
- Uttar Pradesh displayed offensive prowess with a total of four goals.
- Both teams are in contention for the top spots in their respective groups.
- The championship is showcasing emerging football talent across India.
- Match strategies and player performances are pivotal in determining outcomes.
Narainpur (Chhattisgarh), May 13 (NationPress) The teams from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh secured impressive victories in their matches against Manipur and Ladakh during the Group C fixtures of the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship held at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Tuesday.
Punjab clinched a narrow 1-0 win over Manipur thanks to an early goal. In the 12th minute, Punjab’s captain Harmandeep Singh skillfully maneuvered down the left flank, entered the penalty area, and delicately lifted the ball over the advancing goalkeeper, giving his team the lead. Despite Manipur's relentless efforts to equalize in the later stages, Punjab managed to maintain their lead and secure all three points.
With this victory, Punjab stands third in Group C, having accumulated three points from two matches, tied with Sikkim but with one match played more.
In the day’s second match, Uttar Pradesh showcased a striking performance, winning against Ladakh with a score of 4-2 in a thrilling encounter. Uttar Pradesh led 2-1 at halftime.
Pravesh Kumar was the star of the match, netting a hat-trick (8’, 44’, 56’), while Mohsin Khan contributed the fourth goal. For Ladakh, Akash Tirkey (40’) and Imran Ali (86’) found the net. With this win, Uttar Pradesh rises to the top of Group C, amassing six points from their two outings.
On Monday, Maharashtra and Tripura kicked off their campaigns successfully with victories against Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, respectively, in their opening matches of Group D.
Tripura edged past Jharkhand with a 1-0 victory, while Maharashtra triumphed over Himachal Pradesh with a score of 2-0. Currently, Maharashtra and Tripura occupy the top two positions in their group, while Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh find themselves on the negative side of goal differences. Mizoram is yet to play in the five-team group.