Summer Football Mandakini Enclave shines as seniors, juniors reach final

The intra-colony tournament kicked off on Sunday in Vasant Kunj, Alaknanda and NFC

NEW DELHI: The mercury levels in the Capital reached 40 degrees on Sunday, but this didn’t hold back the children of Mandakini Enclave from hitting the ground for HT Summer Football. Aryan Pandit scored four goals for his team, Football Devils. He said, “We are all excited about the matches. Although the match was to start at 3pm, we reached the ground an hour before and stayed till all the matches were over.”

Nine teams in the junior category (children below 15) and six senior teams (15-18) participated in the inter-locality football tournament. The matches were organised in a park in the

Mandakini

Enclave.

Teams from different localities of south

Delhi including

Greater Kailash,

Kalkaji, East of

Kailash etc participated in the event. It was show of brilliance by Mandakini

Enclave boys as teams from the locality bagged a berth for the final matches in junior as well as senior category.

It is, however, not just children who are making the best of the moment. As the final match was being played between Black Panthers and BALR Football Club, an equally enthusiastic parents discussed every moves made on the field. Shyam Sundar Sachdeva, a resident of Mandakini Enclave, said, “When we got to know that Hindustan Times would be holding an intra-locality football match , we got a JCB to level the ground.”

Alok Varshneya, a resident of Mandakini Enclave, said, “Events like these are a lesson in community living. These help develop a bond among the children as well as parents.” In present times when playgrounds are fast shrinking, the RWA of Mandakini Enclave has tried to protect the rights of children by allocating two parks for them to play,” he said.

Surya Hansmarwaha,16, of BALR Football Club, said, “We had been practising for a month. Our next target is Hindustan Times GIFA.”

The match between BALR and Black Panthers, known locally for their rivalry, was a cliffhanger with both the teams not being able to score a goal. The strikers from both the teams made several chances but could not breach the defence of the other side.

The match went in penalty shoot-out with BALR boys earning a 3-1 win. The winning goals for BALR were scored by Surya, Saiyam Hota and Abhishek Kumar. In the juniors category, the final match was played between MUFC and Football Devils - both from Alaknanda Enclave. MUFC scored one goal while Football Devil scored two goals. Adheesh Vibhuti scored a goal for Devils and another goal was scored by Aryan Gahlaut. A badminton match was also organised for the children at Mandakini Enclave. Mohit and Apratim won the men’s doubles title while Sahil and Vidushi won the mixed doubles title.

We are all excited. Although the match was to start at 3pm, we reached the ground an hour before and stayed till all the matches were over.

ARYAN PANDIT, Mandakini Enclave

Tournaments like these are a lesson in community living. These help develop a bond among the children as well as parents.

ALOK VARSHNEYA, Mandakini Enclave

We got a JCB to level the ground when we got to know that HT would be holding an intra-locality football match.

SHYAM SUNDAR SACHDEVA, Mandakini Enclave