Calcutta: That good football has nothing to do with a good ground was proven brilliantly by the young boys of La Martiniere for Boys and St Xavier's Collegiate School on Monday.
The pre-quarter final clash of the Keventer Cup inter-school football tournament, organised by the Debanjan Sen Foundation, was a keenly contested affair with La Martiniere prevailing 1-0. But to be fair to St Xavier's, they were not at all the inferior team in the match.
It was Duane Andrews of La Martiniere who produced the winner - a goal that would have done any senior footballer proud. And that was the only difference between the two teams.
The ground at the Bhavan's Vidyamandir School, muddy and with puddles, was a tough hurdle which the youngsters had to overcome. They did that with aplomb.
The first-half ended goalless despite both the teams playing some good football.
If St Xavier's had the advantage of having taller and well-built defenders, La Martiniere had the gift of nippy and clever forwards.
It was La Martiniere who built the initial pressure in the second half.
The team has some good passers and they often managed to push ball threateningly into the rival half.
St Xavier's soaked up the pressure and replied with some pressing football. They had the physical advantage over their rivals..
After numerous attacks and counterattacks, the match seemed headed for extra time. But then Duane didn't let that happen.
The XII standard boy, who likes the way Gareth Bale and Eden Hazard play, latched on to a pass at the edge of the St Xavier's box, overcame the rival defenders' challenge and then unleashed a powerful and accurate diagonal shot that beat the 'keeper at the far post. He didn't have a great angle to shoot and that made the goal even more special. St Xavier's threw everything they had at La Martiniere in search of the equaliser. But it just wasn't their day.
RESULTS
r Assembly of God Church School 0 Army Public School 0 (Assembly of God Church won 3-2 via tie-breaker) r St James' School 1 St Joseph & Mary's School 0 r La Martiniere for Boys 1 St Xavier's Collegiate School 0.
