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Greenwood School emerges a worthy winner

Special Correspondent

— Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

TRIUMPHANT: The Greenwood School team with the trophy.

NEW DELHI: Lunminlal, the best player of the tournament, played the inspiring role in Greenwood School, Nagaland, emerging the best under-14 team of the Subroto Cup football tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Wednesday. In a final that was dominated by the Nagaland lads, the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) from Dhaka went down 0-2.

Lunminlal rocked the Dhaka outfit with a clinical free kick in the second minute and Nyuhenlo swelled the score with a sensational free kick, the Dhaka goalkeeper Rafi Rahman struggled to punch the high ball.

The Dhaka boys realised late that long rangers and high balls were ideal to beat the rival goalkeeper. There was this 40-yard free kick from Joynel Abedin that left the Greenwood goalkeeper Puru Temjen helpless but the ball thudded into the crosspiece and bounced back into play. It was an effort worthy of a goal.

The Nagaland team, quite ‘mature’, was better prepared and better equipped. It had the pace and the skills, not to forget the endurance, to outwit BKSP. Lunminlal was a constant threat as he interchanged his positions and created gaps down the middle. He was not averse to explore the wings and received unstinted support from Tingnyek, a striker to watch out for.

Untiring midfield

In Nyuhenlo, Lusinei and Tia Toshi the Greenwood School had an untiring midfield, with Keyid Wasadplung a roving forward.

The defence was compact as Dennis Tompangkokba, Tali Akum, Imti Wapang and Vishiho Sumi showed excellent cohesion and anticipation. Wasadplung should have scored in the first half but his flick on the turn hit the crosspiece.

The goals by Lunminlal and Nyuhenlo were craftily executed following a good reading by coach Mughato Sumi, adjudged the best of the tournament.

Lunminlal’s was a well-directed strike from the small ‘D’ while Nyuhenlo found a difficult angle from the left.

In the first half the Dhaka team saw Mohammad Saddam Hossain shoot over from close and in the second Shagor Hossain drove into the wall from inside the box.

BKPS mounted pressure in the closing stages but Greenwood defended well to emerge a worthy winner.

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