St Joseph's romp into MSSA Div II play-offs with 4-0 win

St Joseph's Adnan Rangri (extreme right) scores against St Andrew's during a MSSA U-16 match at Azad Maidan yesterday.Pic/ATUL Kamble

St Joseph's (Wadala) qualified for the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) Boy's U-16 Division II play-offs in style with a 4-0 win over St Andrew's (Bandra) at Azad Maidan. This is the Wadala school's third consecutive win from three matches with one more match still to be played.


St Joseph's Adnan Rangri (extreme right) scores against St Andrew's during a MSSA U-16 match at Azad Maidan yesterday.Pic/ATUL Kamble

Adnan Rangri tapped a Tej Bohara pass into the net to open the scoring for St Joseph's in the 29th minute.

St Joseph's could not add any more goals in the first half but dominated the proceedings in the second half.

In the 37th minute, Bishnu Bohara extended the Wadala outfit's lead via a solo effort. Vismit Chavan then added to the tally in the 45th minute before Nihar Chowkani scored the fourth goal.

St Joseph's coach Tony Michael said that this is his team's best opportunity to earn a promotion to Division I.

"We were unable to qualify for the play-offs last year. Four years ago (2010), the team earned a promotion to the Elite Division. But we were relegated the next year. Today, though St Andrew's lost, they played really well. The heavy rain was maybe the reason they couldn't give it their best."

Meanwhile, goalscorer Tej wants to see his school enter the Division I before he passes out. "This is the last chance we have to represent our school.

I want my team to put in their best and ensure that we earn promotion to Division I. That will be the best gift we could give our coach Tony sir before we pass out of school," said the Class X student.