A 5-star performance from young Neel Amin was the highlight of the day. The energetic and enterprising forward Neel displayed plenty of opportunism, scoring all the five goals in leading Children Academy, Malad to a nerve-racking 5-4 victory against India Rush Blue in an absorbing Boys’ Under-16 final of the inaugural ‘Savio Super 5s’ hockey tournament, organized by the Savio Hockey Club & Academy (SHC&A), under the auspices of Hockey Maharashtra and played at the St. Dominic Savio High School ground, Andheri (East).
The victorious Children Academy boys are all smiles as they proudly pose with the ‘Champions’ trophy along with Chief Guests Mr & Mrs V.C. Jose at the prize distribution function of the inaugural ‘Savio Super 5s’ hockey tournament .
India Rush youngsters who fought gallantly scored their goals through the efforts of Aashay Jadhav, Arnold Misquitta, Kieanen Pereira, and Cristiano Corriea, all chipping in with one goal apiece.
Both Children Academy and India Rush boys were engaged in a fierce battle for supremacy and there was plenty of excitement throughout the encounter for the goodly crowd to witness.
Neel was slippery as an eel and pounced at every opportunity to hit the target. His eagerness and hard work in front of the rival citadel reaped rich rewards as he struck the opening three goals to give the Malad schoolboys a healthy 3-0 cushion at the break.
On resumption, India Rush started with a bang and scored two quick goals through Aashay Jadhav and Arnold Misquitta to close the gap to 2-3. Neel once again was in the thick of the action and ensured Children Academy stayed in front by adding the fourth to lead 4-2 before Kieanen Pereira succeeded in scoring India Rush’s third goal midway through the second period to stay in the fight (4-3). But Children Academy’s spearhead Neel netted a late fifth goal and in the next minute Cristiano Corriea scored the fourth for India Rush, but it was a bit late and they had to settle for second best.
Earlier in the semi-finals, Children’s Academy sidelined Savio Hockey Club & Academy coasting to a 4-0 victory while India Rush Blue defeated India Rush Orange by a comfortable 8-2 margin.
Boys’ under-16 – finals: Children’s Academy 5 (Neel Amin 5) beat India Rush Blue 4 (Aashay Jadhav, Arnold Misquitta, Kieanen Pereira, Cristiano Corriea).
Semi-finals: India Rush Blue 8 (Arnold Misquitta 4, Cristiano Correia 2, Shyane D’Costa, Jaden D.) beat India Rush Orange 2 (Ethan D., Skye F.).
Children Academy 4 (Neel Amin 2, Rohit V., Tanay P.) beat Savio Hockey Club & Academy 0.
Individual awards – Best goalkeeper: Keenan D’Souza (India Rush Blue); Best defender: Aaroha P. (Children’s Academy); Best Forward: Neel Amin (Children’s Academy).