the goan I network
PANAJI
The fifth edition of the GFDC Rising Star Football Festival was a great success with GFDC Navelim in the U-10 Boys category, GFDC Arambol in the U-13 Girls category and GFDC Valpoi in the U-13 Boys category emerging victorious at the ‘Tier II’ final held at the SAG Athletic Stadium, Bambolim.
According to a press release by the Council, GFDC has been conducting the grassroots football development programme for the last five years. The league was held over a span of six months with around 37 teams vying for the top honours in Tier II of the tournament. This year GFDC provided an enhanced competitive environment for their trainees to compete with the very best from across the State.
In the final matches played on Friday, a fine hat-trick by Ruel Goes ensured GFDC Navelim defeated GFDC Siolim by a huge 4-0 margin in an U-10 Boys final. The other goal was scored by Siddesh Biswas. In the U-13 Boys match, GFDC Valpoi beat GFDC Parra via tiebreaker, 1-0. Both the teams were locked in a goalless draw at the end of regulation time forcing the contest to be decided on penalties where the Valpoi side managed to convert through Zen Mhd Sayyed.
While in the U-13 Girls match, GFDC Arambol registered a 2-1 win against GFDC Navelim. Pearl Fernandes and Sakshi Gaude scored for the Arambol side whereas Sania Moraes netted one for GFDC Navelim.
The winners: U-10 Boys: winners - GFDC Navelim, runners-up - GFDC Siolim; U-13 Girls: winners - GFDC Arambol, runners-up - GFDC Navelim; U-13 Boys: winners - GFDC Valpoi, runners-up - GFDC Parra.
Individual prizes: Most valuable player (U-10 boys) - Ruel Goes (GFDC Navelim); Most valuable player (U-13 boys) - Shashi Chowdhary (GFDC Parra); Most valuable player (U-13 girls) - Pearl Fernandes (GFDC Arambol); Best goalkeeper (U-10 boys) - Jonathan Mascarenhas (GFDC Navelim); Best goalkeeper (U-13 boys) - Tejas Gawas (GFDC Valpoi); Best goalkeeper (U-13 girls) - Sonam Ahirwat (GFDC Navelim); Outstanding player (U-10 boys) - Manthan Salunke (GFDC Navelim); Outstanding player (U-13 boys) - Zen Mhd Sayyed (GFDC Valpoi); Outstanding player (U-13 girls) - Sonia Moraes (GFDC Navelim).
