SAI entered the quarterfinals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship after a goalless draw against Goa. SAI topped Group G with seven points and will face the Group H winners on April 25. Goa missed out despite a solid defensive effort.
The Sports Authority of India (SAI) secured a place in the quarterfinals of the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship (NFC) after a goalless draw against Goa in their final Group G match on Tuesday. The match, held at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground, saw both teams putting in spirited performances, but the result favored SAI, who needed only a point to advance.
SAI topped Group G with seven points from three matches and will now face the winners of Group H in the quarterfinals on Friday, April 25, 2025. Goa, despite putting up a strong fight, finished second in the group with five points and missed out on qualification. Assam ended their campaign with three points, while Odisha managed only one.
The game between SAI and Goa was a tightly contested affair. SAI had more possession and looked threatening in attack, but were repeatedly denied by Goa’s goalkeeper Reihan Gomes, who pulled off several impressive saves to keep his side in the match. Goa, on the other hand, needed a win to qualify but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the final third, especially in the second half when time was running out.
Earlier in the day, Assam recorded a 2-1 win over Odisha in the other Group G encounter. Ashish Chetry was the star for Assam, netting a brace in the first half. His first came in the 13th minute with a composed low shot after winning the ball inside the box. He doubled the lead in the 38th minute with a stunning right-footed strike. Odisha managed to pull one back in the 79th minute courtesy of an own goal from Assam’s Fulung Brahma, who inadvertently headed the ball into his own net while trying to clear.
In their earlier group stage games, SAI had defeated Odisha 3-0, while Goa registered a 2-1 win over Assam. With only the group winner progressing to the quarterfinals, every point mattered — and SAI made theirs count.
Group H fixtures scheduled for Wednesday include West Bengal vs Madhya Pradesh at 7:30 am and Nagaland vs Haryana at 4:15 pm. All matches are being streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube Channel, keeping fans across the country engaged in this youth football spectacle.
