Sports Authority of India Reaches U20 NFC Quarterfinals
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Synopsis
On April 22, the Sports Authority of India progressed to the quarterfinals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men's National Football Championship after a goalless draw against Goa. Assam also won their match against Odisha, securing their place in the standings.
Key Takeaways
- SAI reaches quarterfinals with seven points.
- Goa's Reihan Gomes made crucial saves.
- Assam defeated Odisha 2-1.
- SAI played a goalless draw with Goa.
- Quarterfinals scheduled for April 25.
Narainpur, April 22 (NationPress) Sports Authority of India (SAI) has successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men's National Football Championship (NFC) from Group G after securing a goalless draw against Goa at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Tuesday. In another Group G match, Assam triumphed over Odisha with a score of 2-1.
SAI concluded their Group G journey with seven points from three matches and will face the winners of Group H in the quarterfinals scheduled for Friday (April 25, 2025). Goa secured second place in the group with five points, followed by Assam with three points and Odisha with one point.
In a tightly contested match, SAI, who required only a draw to progress to the last eight, dominated the attacking play but failed to penetrate a strong Goa defense, particularly the goalkeeper Reihan Gomes, who made several outstanding saves.
Goa needed a victory to qualify but struggled to create significant opportunities in the SAI goal area despite their efforts in the second half.
During the earlier match, Assam took control by scoring twice in the first half through Ashish Chetry. He netted his first goal in the 13th minute with a low shot from inside the box, followed by a spectacular right-footed strike in the 38th minute.
Odisha managed to score in the 79th minute when Assam defender Fulung Brahma inadvertently directed the ball into his own net while attempting to clear it.
Previously, on Sunday, the Sports Authority of India defeated Odisha 3-0 during the second matchday of Group G in the Swami Vivekananda U20 NFC. In that day’s other match, Goa emerged victorious over Assam with a score of 2-1. Currently, SAI tops Group G with six points, while Goa follows with four points, Odisha has one point, and Assam remains scoreless. Only the group winners will secure a place in the quarterfinal.
Wednesday's fixtures (Group H):
7:30 am — West Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh
4:15 pm – Nagaland vs Haryana
The matches will be available for live streaming on the Indian Football YouTube Channel.
