PFC colts finish second best

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Express news service : Nov 22 2012, 03:10 IST

PFC Under-19s finished runners-up in the 8th Kedari Redekar United Cup all-India football tournament in Gadhinglaj, Kolhapur. In the final, the colts comprising players from the Pune FC Academy (PPFCA), went down fighting to the newly-constituted team of South United FC, Bangalore 8-9 in the sudden-death after playing out a 2-2 draw in regulation time. After a barren first half, the Under-19s trailed 0-2 after the South United’s skipper Stephen Madhukaran (58th and 65th) found the net.

Fighting back, the Under-19s pulled level through a free-kick conversion by defender Henry Monsang (70th minute), before striker Thongkhosiem Haokip (75th) converted a penalty-kick.

In the tie-breaker, both teams converted each of their five penalty-kicks, with Abung Meetie, G Karthik, Deepak Kumar, Haokip, Gobin Singh netting for PFC Under-19s. South United replied through G. Vignesh, Gopi, Stephen, Barunarayan and Sunil Kumar. With the game locked 7-7, the ensuing tie-breaker had James Singh score and Henry miss for PFC Under-19s, which helped the Bangalore side as Jayantiraj and Bansi found the target.

Overall, this was PFC’s fourth visit to the tournament in Gadinglaj. In 2008, PFC Seniors won the title, making the 2012 runners-up finish the club’s second best. Earlier, they beat host’s Gadinglaj United FA 2-0 and Shivneri Kolhapur FC 2-0 with Haokip and William scoring a goal each in both the wins. Pune FC U-19 goalkeeper Sarif Molla was adjudged ‘Goalkeeper’ of the tournament.

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