Riding on Aidan Gracios hat-trick Companeroes defeated Fr. Agnel 3-0 to reach the boy’s under-18 semi-final during the WIFA’s Mahayudh Mumbai leg held at the Supari Talao, Bandra on Thursday.
Playing on their home ground, the Bandra based club is yet to concede a single goal in the tournament and their 3-0 quarter-final win speaks for itself.
The Elite division club has been among the very few clubs in Bandra, who have been providing a platform for youngsters to play football professionally. The entire team is managed and sponsored by their coach Sydney Alexander and he has been the sole reason for taking the team from the bottom to the elite league of Mumbai.
“We all Bandra people are very passionate about football. The main motto of forming this club was to give chance to local youngsters. I have been greatly supported by well wishers and it has been courtesy of them where we are today,” said Alexander.
With just one match away from final, the Companeroes coach hopes that his team goes all the way to win the title. “Boys are really performing very well. I hope they continue playing their game and if they do so I so no reason they can’t win,” he added.
The other three teams to reach the semi-final are Young Stars, Zinobia and Millwall. Young Stars defeated Sacred Heart 4-3 in tie-breaker while Zinobia eased past Al-Rabbani by 2-0. All the semi-final and final matches of the Bandra center would be played at Supari Talao on Friday.
In the under-16 category, St Andrew’s, St Mary’s, St Anthony’s and Steadfast FC made it to the semi-final stage.
Results: U-16: St. Andrews 2-0 Super Doulous, St. Mary’s 2-0 Young Stars, St Anthony’s 0-0 (2-1) Prabhadev bt 2-1, Steadfast 1-0 St Theresa 1-0. U-18: Sellebrity 0-1 St Andrews, Companeroes 3-0 Fr. Agnel, Young Stars 0-0 (4-3) Sacred Heart, Zinobia 2-0 Al-Rabbani, Millwall 0-0 (4-3) St Andrews 4-3.