J.P.DMELLO
ROLLING TROPHY
GOA MAROONS, UFC, NYC AND INDIAN STRIKERS IN LAST FOUR
In exciting quarter final matches of KIFF league for
the J.P. D’Mello Trophy organized by Kuwait Indian Football Federation and
played last Friday at the MOH Grounds in Shuwaikh, Goa Maroons upset Kerala
Challengers 3-2 while Navelim Youth Centre edged AVC Sports & Cultural
Association 1-0 and Indian Strikers trashed Kuwait Goan Association 5-2 to join
United Friends Club in the last four.
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| Indian Strikers |
In the first match of the day, KGA and Indian Strikers
started and ended the first half on equal terms with the score level 2-2; before
Indian Strikers went on to add three more in the second half to take the game
away from KGA. Agnelo Martins and
Cheslee scored for KGA while Aiva Sameen and Roy Pathroso scored two each for
the winners and Sainudeen scored one. Roy Pathroso was
declared Man of the Match and received his award sponsored by Integrated
Logistics Company, from the hands of Indian Strikers President William Stronach. The match was officiated by IFRA officials, Francis
Fernandes, Tiago and Julio Cardoso.
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| Goa Maroons |
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| Roy Patroso of Indian Strikers receiving his Man of the Match award from William Stronach |
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| Gaby of Goa Maroons receiving his Man of the Match award from Tony Gonsalves |
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| Navelim Youth Centre |
In the second match at 8:45am, former champions
Navelim Youth Centre took one step closer to the final when they edged strong
contenders AVC 1-0. The all important
goal was scored by Cruzedio in the second half when he latched on to a pass
from new signing Sanford Cardozo to side step Vincy in the AVC defense and
score past the outstretched hands of goalkeeper Alvaro Dias to set up a mouth
watering semi final clash with UFC. United Friends Club (UFC) last week had beaten
Real Betalbatim in the tie-breaker after normal time had not produced any
result and the man of the match was Ramson Costa the goalkeeper of Real
Betalbatim and he received his award from Mario Carneiro. Cruzedio was declared man of the match and
received his award from Julio Cardoso.
The match was officiated by Tiago and he was assisted by Michael and
David on the lines.
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Man of the Match Ramson Costa of Real Betalbatim receiving his award from Mario Carneiro
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In the final match of the day, 10 men Goa Maroons came
from behind to shock Kerala Challengers 3-2 in an exciting encounter. Kerala Challengers got the first goal in the
10th minute of the first half when Sumesh scored from a free kick
. Maroons equalized almost immediately
when Ian scored from the penalty spot after diminutive forward Joe was brought
down in the box. Kerala Challengers
made it 2-1 when Abdul Thuyadi beat the Maroons offside trap and scored on the
stroke of half time. In the second half
Maroons were reduced to 10 men when Steven Rodrigues was send off by referee
Michael for a second booking and when it seemed that Kerala Challengers would
qualify for the semi finals, hard working Gaby scored one of the most bizarre
goal this season when he back heeled a cross from Larry to level the score 2-2
and take the game to extra time. It was
in the dying minutes of extra time that Joe was again brought down in the penalty
area and Ian made no mistake in scoring from the penalty spot to give Maroons a
famous win and qualification to the semi finals. Kerala Challengers easily one of the
strongest team in the league will rue the missed chances they had in the second
half. Gaby was rightly declared man of
the match and received his award from Tony Gonsalves the ex-president of United
Goans Centre. The match was officiated
by Michael Dias and he was assisted by Nikush and Francis on the lines.
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| United Friends Club |
The semi finals are
slated for 31/5/2013 with UFC taking on Navelim Youth Centre at 6:45am followed
by Indian Strikers playing Goa Maroons at 8:45am. The finals of this prestigious tournament
will be held on 14/6/2013 at one of the major stadium in Kuwait. This year’s final will be graced by the
popular soccer star and India football captain Sunil Chettri who is a household
name in India and overseas. Chettri was
recently instrumental in helping Churchill Bros of Goa lift the I-League title
and is one among only three Indian Players who had an overseas stint with foreign
clubs. He first played in American Major
League Soccer club Kansas City Wizards in 2010, and had a brief stint with
Sporting B’s in Portugal before returning to India.
Report by:-
Julio Cardoso
Kuwait
