AYUSHMAN Adhana and Abdul Rafay scored twice each as Royal Warriors defeated Golden Eagles on third day of the DRM Cup Inter-Academy Football Tournament. In an Under-12 match, Ayushman struck in 8th and 12th minutes to give Royal Warriors a 2-0 cushion. Abdul also found back of the net twice in the 23rd and 25th minute of play. Golden Eagles’ Devansh Nande had levelled the score 1-1 in the 9th minute. In another match of the same age group, Rising Spartans defeated Thunder Tigers by an identical margin of 4-1. Thunder Tigers took an early 1-0 lead when Rachit Chahande scored as early as in the second minute. But the joy was very short-lived as in the next minute, Nirvesh Reddy made it one all.

 

Jerome Francis (8th) and Aaron Joseph (10th and 18th) then pumped in three more for the winners. Aaron was named Man of the Match. With goals from Abdul Waji (15th) and Priyanshu Kushwaha (22nd), Golden Eagles blanked Royal Warriors 2-0 in an U-15 match. Man of the Match award was presented to Md Zeeshan. In only match of the day that went to the penalty shoot-out, Rising Spartans pipped Thunder Tigers 2-1. Rising Spartans’ Azan Ahmed scored in the 8th minute but his goal was neutralised by Thunder Tigers’ Krishna Soni. The full time score was 1-1. In the ensuing tie-break, only Lavit Singh scored for Rising Spartans as the team won 2-1. Lavit was adjudged Man of the Match. Chief guests for the matches were Peri Bhagavati Rao, DCM, SECR, Nagpur; Amit Kumar, ACM, SECR, Nagpur and Sushil Lakra, APO, SECR, Nagpur.