Kabul boys claim U-14 title
Afghanistan’s Astaqlal defeated the boys from Government Model High School, Chandigarh, 5-4 in the Under-14 final to lift the junior boys title of the 58th Subroto Cup football tournament at Dr Ambedkar Stadium in the capital on Wednesday.
The Kabul outfit won in a penalty shootout after the teams were locked goalless in regulation and extra time.
Ali, Mortaza, Mahdi, Farid and Baktas scored in the shootout for Astaqlal while Pritam, Balraj, Amandeep and L. Sibijit converted their spot-kicks for the Chandigarh side.
The teams didn’t give an inch to each other, with the strikers finding it difficult to create space in the penalty box.
When they got into favourable positions, they muffled the chances. The Afghanistan team created some good moves, particularly their right wing functioning well in the second session.
But inability to finish wellworked moves prevented them from scoring stretching the match to penalties, where Astaqlal goalkeeper Hasibullah proved a notch better than Model School custodian Harry.
Model School’s Nepolean was named player of the tournament and was also awarded a scholarship.
Hasibullah was named the best goalkeeper while Astaqlal’s Wahidullah Wahidi was adjudged the best coach.
Government Chawnefianga Middle School of Mizoram took the fairplay award.