The call of duty is top priority for Neville Patel, goalkeeper of Dhirubai Ambani School (BKC). Despite being unwell for the past couple of days, the passionate footballer Neville, 14, turned up to play their quarter-final match against St Paul's (Dadar) in the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)-organised boys' U-16 Div III inter-school football tournament at Azad Maidan yesterday.

"I have been down with influenza since the last four days I am still running a temperature and have a sore throat, but nothing stands in my way when I want to play football. My parents had no objections in permitting me to go for the match," Neville told mid-day.