Riding on the brilliance of prolific striker Akshay Chavan, who struck a brace of goals, Sacred Heart Parish ‘A’, Andheri rallied to overcome St. Joseph’s Parish Mira Road in a fast-paced and action packed men’s final of the Willingdon Catholic Gymkhana organised 30th Inter-Parish 5-a-side Rink Football Tournament – 2017 and played at the WCG’s floodlit tennis courts. Declan Gonsalves netted the third goal for the winners, while Suraj Negi had given the Mira Road parish an early lead.
WCG Parish, Men champions Sacred Heart team pose for a photo.
The former champions St. Joseph’s Parish and Sacred Heart Parish, both started aggressively and went on the offensive from the outset and the summit encounter witnessed an engrossing tussle for supremacy.
The Mira Road side against the run of play forged ahead when Negi from a snap move neatly deflected home a swift forward pass from the right side. But their joy was short-lived as the Anderi outfit managed to draw level when Chavan caught the St. Joseph’s defence by surprise to score with clever flick.
The Sacred Heart Parish striker Akshay Chavan receives the ‘Best Player of the Tournament’ award from Steven Dias, a former India striker at the WCG 30th Inter-Parish 5-a-side Rink Football Tournament – 2017.
Later, Chavan with another superb effort scored the second goal to put Sacred in the lead before Gonsalves from a long angular shot to the roof of net for the third goal to give his team a comfortable lead and to emerge champions.
The nippy striker Chavan was later declared as ‘Best Player of Tournament’ and he also won the award Golden Boot award as the highest goal scorer in the tournament.
Men’s (finals): Sacred Heart Parish ‘A’, Andheri 3 (Akshay Chavan 2, Declan Gonsalves) beat St. Joseph’s Parish ‘A’, Mira Road 1 (Suraj Negi).