Navi Mumbai, March 31 (IANS) All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Regional Academy, based in Navi Mumbai, continued their winning spree when they blanked another Mumbai Super Division outfit, Indian Cultural League (ICL), 8-0 in a friendly at the Father Agnel Ground in Vashi.
This is the Academy’s eighth consecutive victory against Mumbai Super Division outfits. Playing friendly matches every weekend stays a part of the curriculum of the Under-15 Academy.
Despite many of the first-team players being rested, the Academy boys scored at regular intervals against one of the oldest clubs of Mumbai. ICL are former winners of Kolkata’s prestigious IFA Shield and are currently participating in the Super Division of the Mumbai Football League (MFL).
Midfielder Hayden Fernandes opened the scoring, (9th minute) placing the ball into the far corner before Prasanth doubled the lead (11th) with an emphatic finish from close range. Rakesh Oram latched onto a loose ball to make it 3-0 (18th).
Winger Suman Sarkar, making a return to the playing XI following a lengthy injury lay-off, put in an commendable performance on the flanks, notching up a well-deserved brace. A tap-in by Sarkar (24th) was followed by a penalty conversion (39th), ensuring that the team went into the half-time break with a comfortable 5-0 lead.
Changing over, Gursimrat Singh Gill volleyed in the team’s sixth goal (68th) and then Bidyananda Singh added the seventh (73rd) with a thunderous 20-yard strike. The rout was completed in stoppage time with Robinson Singh’s back-flicked long ranger.
