After the senior team representing Puducherry won the national title last year, the under-15 team broke into the finals of the Futsal National Championship in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh recently, bringing laurels to the Union Territory. The championship is run by the Futsal Association of India, which is also a member of the World Futsal Association (AMF).
Lost to Tamil Nadu
Though they lost on penalties to Tamil Nadu, the remarkable run through the tournament did not go unnoticed, as five players were selected to the national squad for the Futsal World Cup in Paraguay in July.
All the players belong to the CITY 5 Football Club in the city.
“This is indeed a big deal as only the best players from the under-15 tournament are drafted into the national team,” said Pradeep Tillai, general secretary, Futsal Association of Pondicherry.
The selected players are Arya, goal keeper, Darshan, who at 11 years is the youngest player to get selected for the U-15 national team, Esteban, who was adjudged Most Valuable Player for being the top scorer in the tournament with a record number of 19 goals in six matches, Kishore, captain of the team and Nishkalan.
‘Tense match’
The team was led by coach Gnana Deepan Colas, who was the captain of the seniors team that lifted the title. He recalled that the finals was a tense affair with Tamil Nadu getting a lead in the last leg of the game. With barely minutes left for the hooter, Puducherry equalised and sent the game into a penalty shootout.
Though Tamil Nadu won the match, the Puducherry team won over several fans that day, he said.
“I am incredibly proud of how our players. These boys have been training hard for weeks to get ready for this competition. I couldn't ask for a better group of young men and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for them,” said Mr. Pillai, who founded the futsal club in the city.
