The Hindu : Sport / Football : Mervin and Mathew score in Goa’s win

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Mervin and Mathew score in Goa’s win

MUMBAI: Delightful goals from Mervin Borges (eighth minute) and Abel Mathew (80th) enabled Goa down a fighting Kerala 2-0 and advance into the semifinals of the 32nd National sub-junior football championships for the Mir Iqbal Hussain Trophy here on Sunday.

Karnataka tested its bench strength while recording an 8-0 victory over Puducherry in an earlier league tie at the Air India ground, Kalina.

Mervin looped the ball home off a direct free-kick, taking advantage of the Kerala goalkeeper’s difficulty in sighting the ball due to the defensive wall in front of him.

Mathews slotted home the ball from the near post for Goa’s second goal, the rival custodian beaten by the speed and placement.

Kerala tried hard in the second half, but felt the absence of strikers big enough to match the rival defence in the air and on the ground. Inas Ali came closest to scoring with a long-ranger, but this was blocked with difficulty by the Goan goalkeeper.

Tong Mong and Chander Kumar scored thrice each in Karnataka’s win over Puducherry.

In the semifinals on Tuesday, Goa meets Maharashtra and Karnataka clashes with Andhra Pradesh.

The results: Karnataka 8 (Chander Kumar 3, Tong Mong 3, Shivram, Sunil Kumar) bt Puducherry; Goa 2 (Mervin Borges, Abel Mathew) bt Kerala 0. — Special Correspondent

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