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Minerva Academy FC booked their place in the final with a resounding 5-1 victory over Football 4 Change Academy in Semi-Final 1 of the AIFF Youth League in Mahabalipuram.

A dominant display saw Minerva outclass their opponents with clinical finishing and strategic control of the game.

The match kicked off with high intensity, but it was Minerva who broke the deadlock in stoppage time of the first half. Albert Khangembam opened the scoring at 40:02, followed quickly by Gurba Besra’s strike at 44:06.

Just after the restart, Albert struck again at 46:23 to extend the lead.

Football 4 Change Academy found a brief moment of resurgence when Mangminhao Vaiphei scored at 47:49, but the momentum stayed with Minerva. Albert Khangembam completed his hat-trick at 54:35, solidifying his standout performance.

Salam Maniton Singh added the final goal deep into stoppage time at 73:35 (70:00 + 03:35), sealing a comprehensive win. The match ended with Minerva Academy FC defeating Football 4 Change Academy 5-1. At half-time, Minerva led 3-0, and the game concluded with a full-time score of 5-1. The goals for Minerva came from Albert Khangembam (40', 46', 54'), Gurba Besra (44'), and Salam Maniton Singh (73'), while Mangminhao Vaiphei (47') scored the lone goal for Football 4 Change Academy.

Statistically, Minerva dominated possession with 70% compared to Football 4 Change's 30%. Minerva registered 18 shots with 7 on target, while Football 4 Change managed 15 shots, 5 of which were on target. Both teams committed just one foul each, and there were no cards, offsides, or disciplinary issues recorded. Corner kicks were evenly shared, with both sides earning 6 each.

Assam State Premier League

In a dramatic and closely contested Semi-Final 2, FC Madras booked their place in the tournament final after defeating Punjab FC 5-4 in a tense penalty shootout, following a goalless draw in regulation time.

The match saw both teams battle it out over 70 minutes of regular time, with neither side able to find the breakthrough. Despite Punjab FC’s dominance in attack—registering 19 shots with 7 on target compared to FC Madras' 8 shots and just 1 on target—the FC Madras defense held firm under pressure.

FC Madras controlled the tempo of the game with 60% possession, but Punjab FC created more chances, forcing their opponents to stay compact and disciplined at the back. The match saw minimal fouls and was a clean contest with no bookings, offsides, or disciplinary issues.

The goalless deadlock remained intact through both halves, including stoppage time (35:00 + 2:00 in the first half and 70:00 + 3:00 in the second half), pushing the match into a penalty shootout.

In the shootout, FC Madras held their nerve, converting all five of their penalties. Punjab FC missed just one, resulting in a 5-4 shootout victory for FC Madras. The match ended 0-0 after full time, with FC Madras eventually triumphing 5-4 in the penalty shootout. FC Madras scored all five of their penalties, while Punjab FC converted four.

Statistically, FC Madras enjoyed 60% possession compared to Punjab FC’s 40%. However, Punjab had more attacking intent with 19 total shots and 7 on target, while FC Madras managed 8 shots with only 1 on target. Both teams committed just one foul, and there were no yellow or red cards issued. Corners were in Punjab’s favor with 6 compared to 2 from FC Madras.