MAHILPUR, OCT 1 : Assam and Goa qualified for semi-finals after completion of Group A four-team round robin quarter final league of the 31st Sub-Junior National Football Championship-2008 for Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy here today. Assam topped Group A with five points from one win and two draws. Goa were runners-up in Group A with four points from one victory, one defeat and one draw.In today’s quarer-final league matches, Assam were held by Uttrakhand by 2-2 and split points while West Bengal and Goa played a goalless draw to share points. West Bengal with three points bowed out. Their all three matches ended in draw. They drew with Uttrakhand 1-1 and with Assam they played a two-all draw. Uttrakhand finished at bottom with two points.
From Group B, Punjab and Mizoram have already made it to the semi-final as both teams have registered two victories each and tomorrow’s encounter between them will decide the group leaders. Punjab have beaten Delhi by 6-1 and Meghalaya by 3-1. Mizoram have defeated Meghalaya by 7-1 and Delhi by 8-1.
In today’s matches suspense continued till the last seconds.
The match between Goa and holders West Bengal ended in a goalless draw. The two teams were evenly balanced. Their strikers had shies at the goal but failed to convert the opportunities that came their way.
In the second match between Uttrakhand and Assam struggle continued till the last minute. Uttrakhand drew the first blood with a lobbed ball by Rahul Negi in the third minute. Anuj Negi made it 2-0 in the 31st minute.
Despite trailing by two goals, the Assam were not disappointed. They came back strongly though belatedly. They tasted success in the 85th minute when Holicharan reduced the margin. With few seconds left, Holicharan equalized as the match edned in an exciting draw.
According to Organising Secretary BK Bali, the semi-final matche will be played on October 4 and the final is billed for October 6 at 2.30 p.m.