Nagaland secured their second consecutive victory in the Swami Vivekananda U-20 Men’s National Football Championship, defeating Bengal 1-0 in a tightly contested Group H clash at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground on Monday, April 21, 2025.
With this win, Nagaland climbed to the top of the four-team group with six points from two matches. A draw in their final group match against Haryana will be enough to book a spot in the quarterfinals. Haryana, meanwhile, remain in contention with four points from two matches and must win against Nagaland to qualify. Bengal, with a single point, face an uphill battle, while Madhya Pradesh have been eliminated after two losses.
Nagaland, who cruised past Madhya Pradesh in their opener, found Bengal much tougher. The breakthrough came early when Ghuqhe Chishi scored in the 13th minute. Captain S Ayenmongba’s brilliant run and delivery off a corner allowed Chishi to smash in the winner despite tight Bengal marking.
Bengal pushed hard in the second half but failed to penetrate Nagaland’s resolute defence.
Earlier in the day, Haryana thrashed Madhya Pradesh 4-1 to keep their hopes alive. Haryana dominated the first half, racing to a 3-0 lead. Yatin opened the scoring in the 18th minute with a sharp left-footer from inside the box. Yaman Sheoran doubled the lead in the 30th minute, finishing calmly after a smart run down the left. Anni, who had scored in the previous game, netted again in the 37th minute with a precise volley.
Madhya Pradesh’s Rohit Yadav reduced the deficit with a header in the 64th minute, but Haryana regained a three-goal advantage when Sameer Warkade’s own goal sealed the scoreline.
(With inputs from AIFF)