Saturday , March 30 2024

Minerva Academy FC miss out on Punjab U-21 League final!

After a dramatic late win in the quarterfinal, Minerva Academy FC locked horns against Jagat Singh Palahi Football Academy in the semifinal of the Punjab U-21 Youth League at the Sikh National College in Banga.

Minerva Academy made three changes from the quarterfinal, with Abhay coming in for Musharaf, Armaan for Sourabh and Ankit Singh for Imran.

After a few early exchanges in the game, Armaan handled the ball in the box and Minerva Academy conceded a penalty at the quarter hour mark. The hosts converted to make it 1-0.

But their lead didn’t last long, as Minerva Academy won a free-kick in a dangerous position from the left. 16-year old striker Himanshu Jangra equalised masterfully as he slotted the free kick in the bottom left corner. It was 1-1 at the half hour mark.

Jangra, having just scored, was involved again as he was released by Kuntal Pakhira, but the goalkeeper made a good save to deny Jangra his second of the afternoon.

The second half saw the home team play aerially for the most part. But Minerva Academy found a way to muster up a few chances – one of which could have easily been a penalty, as Jangra’s shot seemed to have been handled in the box. The referee waved away the penalty appeals in the 70th minute.

Then, in the 86th minute, Chaman’s throw in again found Jangra in the 6 yard box, but the striker’s header hit the crossbar and went over.

It was 1-1 at full-time, and the game went into extra-time.

Chances were hard to come by for both teams in extra-time, and at the end of it, the game was to be decided via penalties.

Charles almost saved the first penalty for Minerva Academy, but the ball hit his palm, struck the post and went in. Thereafter, both sides scored two penalties each.

Adhiraj then missed Minerva Academy’s third penalty, and Jagat Palahi Football Academy didn’t miss a single one. As a result, the hosts won the semifinal 5-4 on penalties, and commenced to the final of the Punjab U-21 Youth League.

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