Don Bosco stay alive with big win

A fantastic hat-trick by Mannan Dang helped Don Bosco High School, Matunga stay alive in the Reliance Foundation Youth Sports National Football Championship at the Father Agnel ground, Vashi.

His starring role saw his team wallop Army Public School PRTC, Bengaluru 7-1 to take the third place behind Unique Model Academy, Imphal and Gangadharpur Vidyamandir, Kolkata. They now have to beat the Kolkata team in their last Junior Boys’ group fixture to make it to the semifinals of the championship.

They have a favourable goal difference though which will prove handy if they manage a draw and Unique Model Academy somehow lose to the bottom-placed Army Public School.

Don Bosco suffered an early setback, conceding a goal in the fourth minute itself to Sumit Singh but they recovered quickly enough, with Nathan Murzello scoring his first goal in the 10th minute. He scored one more late in the 53rd minute for a fine brace.

Their hero, however, was Mannan Dang who found the back of the net thrice, in the 16th, 28th and the 38th minute. Nihal Dudwalkar (35th) and Krishna Karkera (63rd) were the other scorers.

The RFYS National Championship semi-finals will be played at the Reliance Corporate Park, Ghansoli on January 3 and 4 with the finals on January 6.