MSSA football: Nathan nails it!

St Anne's skipper Nathan Braganza shoots during the boys U-16 Div-II match against Thakur Public School at Cooperage. Pic/Pradeep Dhivar

St Anne's (Malad) captain Nathan Braganza, 15, led by example and with excellent support from strike partner Leron Miranda as they eased past Thakur Public School (Kandivli) 3-0 in a boys U-16 Division-II quarter-final play-off match of the MSSA inter-school football tournament at Cooperage yesterday. The scores were locked goalless at the end of the first session. On resumption, lanky attacking midfielder Nathan converted a penalty to put St. Anne's ahead in the 35th minute after Leron was fouled by a rival defender inside the area.

St Anne's Leron on target
Later, Leron made another sole run past a couple of rival defenders before shooting past Thakur goalkeeper Om More to double the lead (40th minute). Nathan hammered in the third (48th min) with a first-timed essay after receiving a through pass from Meer Lakhani to seal their victory and a passage to the
semi-finals.

"In the second half, we did well to maintain ball possession and engage in short passing bouts to break down the rival defence. Last year, we crashed out in the quarter-finals, but this time we are determined to make the final. I am confident that we can emerge champions, which would be a perfect parting gift for the school," said Nathan, who is in Class X.

Aryan scores for AVM
In another quarter-final, Smt RSB Arya Vidya Mandir (Juhu) beat Holy Family (Andheri) 1-0. AVM survived several anxious moments in front of goal as Holy Family launched a series of attacks, but without any success.

AVM then stunned the Andheri outfit by taking the lead when Aryan picked up the ball just inside the Holy Family half, dodged past rival defenders and coolly slotted home, beating Holy Family goalkeeper Ronak Kanojia in the 42nd minute. Thereafter, in other pre-quarter-final matches, St. Paul's (Dadar) proved too good as they outplayed St.

Xavier's Boys Academy (Churchgate) 3-0. Striker Atharva Rewale netted two goals while Yash Nihalje got one for the victors. And, St. Joseph's (Malad) rode on Joy Banerjee's fine hat-trick to defeat St. Joseph's (Wadala) 3-0.

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