Swami Vivekananda U20 NFC: SAI Triumphs Over Nagaland in Penalty Shootout to Secure Semifinal Spot
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Synopsis
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) triumphed over Nagaland in a penalty shootout to secure a place in the semifinals of the Swami Vivekananda U-20 Men's National Football Championship. The match ended in a 2-2 draw after extra time, with SAI's goalkeeper making a crucial save during the shootout.
Key Takeaways
- SAI advances to the semifinals after a penalty shootout win.
- Nagaland's early lead was challenged by SAI's equalizers.
- The match ended 2-2 after extra time.
- SAI will face defending champions Delhi next.
- All matches are streamed live on YouTube.
Narainpur, April 25 (NationPress) The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has successfully advanced to the semifinals of the Swami Vivekananda U-20 Men's National Football Championship (NFC) 2025, clinching victory against Nagaland in a thrilling penalty shootout following a 2-2 stalemate at the conclusion of 120 minutes at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, on Friday.
SAI is set to face the reigning champions, Delhi, in the semifinal on May 2.
Nagaland initiated the match with momentum as midfielder Pulovi capitalized on a loose ball, scoring a tap-in in the 25th minute to grant his team the early advantage. However, Oinam Romio Singh equalized for SAI just 11 minutes into the second half with a header.
The match remained tight leading into extra time, where K Arap Konyak of Nagaland took advantage, tapping in a goal in the 96th minute to reclaim the lead. Yet, the joy was fleeting as Sameer Gurung leveled the score once more in the 107th minute with a left-footed shot from inside the box, keeping SAI’s hopes alive.
As the match reached its conclusion, a tense penalty shootout determined the outcome. After both teams converted their first five penalties, SAI's goalkeeper K Rahul Kannan made a crucial save against Nagaland’s Haominlal, providing SAI with an advantage in sudden death.
Sameer, who had previously scored the equalizer in extra time, stepped up again and confidently netted the decisive penalty into the bottom-left corner, propelling SAI into the semifinals.
Earlier in the tournament, Nagaland advanced to the quarter-finals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men's National Football Championship from Group H after a 2-2 draw with Haryana. Bengal overcame Madhya Pradesh 3-0 yet finished third in their group with four points, while Haryana secured second place with five points. Nagaland topped the table with seven points, setting up their quarterfinal matchup against Group G winners SAI.
Upcoming matches on Sunday (April 27), Group A Fixtures:
Meghalaya vs Jammu & Kashmir (7:30 AM)
Rajasthan vs Bihar (4:15 PM)
All matches are streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube channel.
