Sports Authority of India entered last-four of the Swami Vivekananda U-20 Men’s National Football Championship, as they beat Nagaland in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw at the end of 120 minutes, at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground in Narainpur, Chhattisgarh, on Friday, 25th April 25.
SAI will face the defending champions, Delhi, in the semi-final on 25 May.
Nagaland were off to a good start as midfielder Pulovi scored a tap-in from a loose ball in the 25th minute to give his side the lead. Oinam Romio Singh, with just 11 minutes into the second half, scored with a header to bring Sports Authority of India back on level terms.
The game was up for grabs entering the extra time, and Nagaland’s K Arap Konyak made the most out of it. The forward was in a perfect spot to convert the tap-in, in the 96th minute, giving Nagaland the lead once again. The celebrations, however, were short-lived as Sameer Gurung equalised again in the 107th minute with his left foot from inside the box, keeping SAI alive in the game.
As the full-time whistle blew, a nerve-wracking penalty shootout awaited to decide the fate. Both SAI and Nagaland were on level terms after the first five shots each, before SAI goalkeeper K Rahul Kannan anticipated and saved Nagaland’s Haominlal’s penalty, giving his side a crucial edge in the sudden-death. Sameer, who had scored the extra-time equaliser, was up for the job once again. The midfielder delivered the winning penalty into the bottom-left corner to take SAI into the last four.
