Pune: Former champions and last year’s runners-up Bishop’s School (Camp), Pune rallied to an exciting 2-1 extra-time victory over Cathedral & John Connon, Mumbai to regain the Junior College football title for boys, in the 29th All Maharashtra Anglo-Indian Schools tournament, at the Barnes School & Junior College, Devlali.
Thirteen-time winners and defending champions Barnes beat Bombay Scottish, Mahim 4-0 with goals from Adnan Mirza, Yatendra Rawal, Krish Kardiwala and Kunal Deore to finish third.
Following a scoreless first half in which Bishop’s held the advantage but missed four easy chances, including three by Amin Saxena, 2008 winners Cathedral shot into the lead early in the second half through Mishal Mehta.
The Mumbai school held on, even as Bishop’s, who last won the title in 2014, relentlessly laboured for the equaliser. They were finally rewarded when Dhruv Bishnoi latched on to a Karan Adhikari defence-splitting pass and slotted home two minutes from close to force extra-time.
Buoyed by the recovery, nine-times champions Bishop’s were aggressive in the first period of extra-time and earned a penalty when Shiva Pandey was brought down in the box by Cathedral captain Chaitanya Mehra, and Dhruv Bishnoi scored the match winner from the spot.
Results:
Football: Jr. College: Final: Bishop’s, Camp 2 (Dhruv Bishnoi 2) bt Cathedral 1 (Mishal Mehta). 3/4th play-off: Barnes 4 (Adnan Mirza, Yatendra Rawal, Krish Kardiwala, Kunal Deore) bt Bombay Scottish, Mahim 0.
