SPORTIANS Football Club’s continued improvment in the First Division helped them clinch the title and get promoted to the Senior Division of the JSW Football League organised by Nagpur District Football Association. After registering a hadfought win in the semi-finals, Sportians FC bettered their show as they went on to blank Zainish FC in the First Division final on Thursday. The 2-0 win gave Sportians FC a glittering trophy and a cash prize of Rs 7,500. Piyush Ranade was on target for Sportians FC in the 32nd minute of play. The goal put pressure on Zainish forwards and they increased their attacks on rival defence. However, they were unable to break the tight wall of Sportians. In the second half, Aryan Patil who had scored in semis in regulation time as well as in shoot-out, took powerful shot from top of the rectangle to double Sportians FC’s lead.

 

They then defended their citadel well to emerge winners. Zainish FC received a cash prize of Rs 5,000. Abhay Girare, Head, Business Excellence, JSW, Kalmeshwar was the chief guest of the prize distribution function. Prashant, CRS Head, JSW, HareshVora, President Nagpur District Football Association, Iqbal Kashmiri, Secretary, NDFA, Abid Khan, Atmaram Pande, Kamil Ansari, Khalid Ansari, Md Mubin, AB Khan, Stanley Gregory, Pappan Pramanik, Adnan Ali, Khalid Ansari,Vinod Tiwari, Dr Kamal Ansari and others were prominently present on the occasion. INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: Best player of the tournament: Vedant Kalode (Sportians FC, Rs 2,500); Man of the match: Aryan Patil (Sportians FC, 1,500); Best goalkeeper: Mayur Sorodkar (Sportians FC, 2,000); Best player of the Runners-up team: Mohd Ahtesham, Rs 1,000).