Synopsis
Nagaland has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship after a 2-2 draw against Haryana. They topped Group H and will face the Sports Authority of India in the quarterfinals. The match saw K. Arap Konyak score twice for Nagaland, while Yaman Sheoran netted both goals for Haryana.Key Takeaways
- Nagaland topped Group H with 7 points.
- Haryana finished second with 5 points.
- K. Arap Konyak scored twice for Nagaland.
- Yaman Sheoran netted both goals for Haryana.
- Nagaland will face Sports Authority of India in the quarterfinals.
Narainpur, April 23 (NationPress) Nagaland secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men's National Football Championship from Group H following a 2-2 draw with Haryana at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Wednesday.
In another Group H match, Bengal triumphed over Madhya Pradesh with a score of 3-0, yet concluded third in the group with four points. Haryana finished second with five points, while Nagaland topped the group with seven points. In the quarter-final, they will face Group G leaders Sports Authority of India (SAI) on Friday (April 25, 2025).
Understanding that only a victory could propel them into the last eight, Haryana came out strong from the start but fell behind in the 14th minute when Nagaland’s K. Arap Konyak sprinted past his defender to score against the advancing goalkeeper.
The setup for the goal was made by midfielder Pulovi, who seized the ball in midfield and navigated through several defenders before delivering a precise through pass. Haryana equalized in the 30th minute with a goal from Yaman Sheoran, who capitalized on a defensive mistake.
The final two goals occurred late in the match. Nagaland regained the lead in the 87th minute with a second goal from Arap Konyak, who headed the ball into the corner of the net. However, Yaman struck back once more for Haryana, but it was insufficient to achieve their goal.
Former champions Bengal dominated their match from the outset, scoring in the 11th minute with a swift header from Jeet Shikari.
Madhya Pradesh, which held firm in the first half, collapsed early in the second, conceding two goals in quick succession. Santanu Naskar made it 2-0 in the 54th minute with a header from a Romin Goldar cross, and just four minutes later, midfielder Miraj Mullick scored with a stunning left-footed shot from distance.
