Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Triumph in U20 National Football Championship

Exciting Matches in Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 Championship

Narainpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 14: In the Group C matches of the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship held at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh secured wins against Manipur and Ladakh, respectively, as reported by the official AIFF website.

Punjab clinched a narrow 1-0 victory over Manipur, while Uttar Pradesh triumphed in a thrilling 4-2 match against Ladakh.

The first match saw Punjab take the lead early on, with captain Harmandeep Singh making a swift run down the left flank. He skillfully lifted the ball over the sliding goalkeeper in the 12th minute, securing the only goal of the match. Despite Manipur's attempts to equalize in the latter part of the game, Punjab maintained their lead to earn three crucial points.

Currently, Punjab sits in third place in Group C, accumulating three points from two matches, tied with Sikkim, who have played one match less.

In the day's second match, Uttar Pradesh showcased their offensive prowess, defeating Ladakh 4-2 in a high-scoring affair. They led 2-1 at halftime.

Pravesh Kumar was the standout player for Uttar Pradesh, netting a hat-trick with goals in the 8th, 44th, and 56th minutes, while Mohsin Khan contributed the fourth goal. For Ladakh, Akash Tirkey and Imran Ali scored in the 40th and 86th minutes, respectively. With this victory, Uttar Pradesh ascends to the top of Group C, having secured six points from their two matches.