Mangalore Blues Sports Club emerged champions recording a comfortable 2-0 win against defending champions Karnataka Sports Club (KSC) in an absorbing final of the Karnatak Sporting Association (KSA) organized KSA annual 26th Ramanath Payyade Memorial League-cum-Knockout Football Tournament 2023-2024, and played at the KSA ground, Cross Maidan.
The winning Mangalore Blues players are all smiles as they pose with the winners’ trophy along with Chief Guest Dr. P.V. Shetty, President, KSA, Gaurav Payyade, son of Ramanath Payyade and Cricket Secretary, KSA, Jaya Shetty, Hon. Secretary, KSA, Salvador D’Souza, Treasurer, KSA and other KSA Executive Committee members.
The strong favourites Karnataka SC who were keen to retain their crown encountered a strong opposition from Mangalore Blues who put up a solid determined performance to put up a good fight.
Both Karnataka SC and Mangalore Blues played an attacking game and there was plenty of goal-mouth action in front of goal at either end.
Karnataka SC showed positive signs of playing for a win as they put the rivals under a lot of pressure as they created quite a number of chances. But poor finishing proved to be their undoing as they failed to score a single goal and that proved costly.
Mangalore Blues gradually took control of the proceedings against their fancied opponents and they did well to capitalize on their chances to score two goals through the efforts of their hard-working strikers Rahul Almeida, Umesh Rathod to seal their win.
Rahul Almeida was later adjudged as the ‘Player of the final’.
Earlier, in the third place match, Billawa Youth Sangha enjoyed total dominance and outclassed Shree Krishna Sports Club by a convincing 5 -1 margin.
Chief Guest, Dr. P.V. Shetty, President KSA, presented champions Mangalore Blues with the glittering winners’ trophy and a cheque of Rs 50,000, while Karnataka SC received the runners-up trophy and a cash prize of Rs 25,000.
Result – Final: Mangalore Blues 2 (Rahul Almeida, Umesh Rathod) beat Karnataka SC 0.