MARGAO
Janata High School Mapusa and Damodar English High School Gudi Paroda will today clash in the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs U17 Nehru Hockey tournament for boys.
In yesterday’s semifinals at Hockey Stadium Peddem Mapusa, Janata High School Mapusa defeated Honda High School, Honda 4-0, while the Salcete school edged Fr. Agnel Higher Secondary School Pilar 5-4.
The Mapusa school, comprising a number of boys who are part of the Khelo India Hockey project, opened the scoring in the fifth minute through Nasam and added a second one nine minutes later with Krishkumar scoring the first of his two goals.
Thereafter, the Honda HS Honda boys, part of the Hockey Development Program launched by Pilar Fathers and supported by Hockey Kheluia and Hockey Heritage Group Goa, fought back but could not penetrate the rival defense.
Goaded by the presence of Fr George Nandiyala of Pilar Fathers on the bench, who provided the much needed technical and tactical support to the team, the Honda school gave all their best but the Mapusa school stood up to the test.
Fr George Nandiyala, a former hockey player himself is now overseeing the project in the village of Honda of Sattari taluka which focuses on taking the game of hockey to new level in Goa.
In the other semi-final, Damodar English High School Gudi Paroda survived some anxious moments to register a nail biting 5-4 win.
At one point the Pilar school were down by 3-1 goals but rallied to draw level and at one point took the lead 4-3 but the Gudi had the last laugh with two goals to make it 5-4 and then held on to the last minutes the slender one-goal lead to take the team into the final.
The Pilar school scored through Yash (6th minute), Rosario (36), Udit (43) and Aidon (44). The Gudi school found the target with a brace from Aftab (8 and 49th), besides goals from Gaurav (20), Sarvesh (31) and Laxman (49).
