DPS RK Puram and Faridabad Girls School Triumph at Oriental Cup Football Tournament 2025
Exciting Conclusion to the Oriental Cup Football Tournament 2025
The Oriental Cup Football Tournament 2025 wrapped up with thrilling moments and emotional victories, as Delhi Public School, RK Puram, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Faridabad, claimed the top spots in the Boys' and Girls' divisions, respectively. Despite heavy rains threatening to disrupt the finals at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, the match commissioner, in consultation with coaches and organizers, decided to proceed with both finals through penalty shootouts to ensure the safety of the student athletes.
The final day was honored by the presence of Zafar Iqbal, the 1980 Moscow Olympic Gold Medalist and former captain of the Indian Hockey Team, who motivated the players and presented trophies to the champions.
Iqbal expressed his gratitude to Fareed Bakshi and the Oriental Structural Engineers (OSE) team for their outstanding efforts in organizing such a well-structured and impactful tournament. He emphasized the importance of initiatives like this in nurturing grassroots football and developing future sporting talent, congratulating both the winners and runners-up for their remarkable performances.
In the Girls' final, the debutants from Government Girls Sr. Sec. School, Faridabad, triumphed over two-time champions Sanskriti School in a nail-biting 4-3 penalty shootout, marking a sensational achievement in their first tournament. Players Palak, Nidhi, Tanisha, and Somya successfully converted their penalties, while Aditi Chamoli, Amina Abdali, and Azaira Bajaj scored for Sanskriti.
Coach Preeti, overwhelmed with joy, remarked, 'This was our first participation, and we honestly didn’t expect to reach the finals, but our girls are incredibly talented. They began their journey with us two years ago, and we taught them everything from the basics. We always believed they would achieve something big, and as a coach, I feel incredibly proud today.'
In the Boys' final, DPS RK Puram narrowly defeated The Mother’s International School with a thrilling 5-4 victory in the shootout. Players Arhan Gupta, Ayush Ranjan, Afraaj Taeiq, Aarav Pahwa, and Kartik Kashyap held their composure to secure the title, while Amogh Shandilya, Daivik Bejgotra, Dhruv Tuli, and Trigya Chaturvedi scored for MIS, who fell just short.
DPS Head Coach Gobardhan Sahoo praised the tournament's organization, stating, 'This tournament is extremely well-organized and provides students with a great experience. The facilities are top-notch, and everyone has been very supportive. I also think the decision to proceed with the penalty shootout, rather than declaring joint winners, was the right one. It provided us with a clear winner, which is always better for the spirit of competition and for motivating young athletes.'
Each winning team received a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 along with the Oriental Cup trophy, while the runners-up were awarded Rs 50,000. Winning coaches received Rs 30,000, and runner-up coaches were awarded Rs 15,000.
Taking place from July 21 to July 29, the Oriental Cup Football Tournament 2025 featured 36 school teams, with 24 in the boys' category and 12 in the girls', from across Delhi-NCR, competing in a league-cum-knockout format. Recognized by the Delhi Soccer Association, this tournament has established itself as a premier platform for structured school-level football in the capital.
Final Standings – Oriental Cup 2025
Boys' Category
Winner: Delhi Public School, RK Puram
Coach: Gobardhan Sahoo
Runner-Up: The Mother’s International School
Coach: Sachin Rawat
Girls' Category
Winner: Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Faridabad
Coaches: Inderjeet and Miss Preeti
Runner-Up: Sanskriti School
Coach: Keshav Chandra Duklan.