Oriental Cup 2026: Tagore International, step by step, Air Force School register convincing wins
New Delhi, July 8
Tagore International School, Step by Step School, Noida, The Air Force School, Subroto Park, and DAV Public School, Faridabad, registered convincing victories in the Boys' category, while Sapphire International School, Noida, emerged victorious in the Girls' category on Day 2 of the Oriental Cup 2026 football tournament on Wednesday.
Relentless rain and waterlogged conditions at the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium brought the resilient spirit to the fore on Day 2, as young footballers competed with energy and determination.
Tagore International School began the day with a 2-0 victory over Sapphire International School, Noida, in the Boys' category. Ayushman Sharma scored once in each half, opening the scoring in the fourth minute before adding his second in the 29th minute to seal Tagore International's passage to the next round.
In the corresponding Girls' fixture, Sapphire International School defeated Tagore International School 2-0. Dhanvi Chawla opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Aadya Chawla doubled the advantage in the 12th minute, with the two first-half goals proving enough to secure the victory.
St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School advanced in both the Boys' and Girls' categories after receiving walkovers against St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave.
Step by Step School, Noida, registered a commanding 4-0 victory over The Indian School in the Boys' category. Chitman Singh opened the scoring in the ninth minute and completed his brace in the 16th minute. Yuvaan Krishna added the third in the 20th minute before Vansh Gulati rounded off the scoring in the 27th minute.
Step by Step School also advanced in the Girls' category after receiving a walkover against The Indian School.
The Air Force School, Subroto Park, secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Father Agnel School, Noida, with Arnab Kashyap scoring all three goals. Kashyap opened the scoring in the fifth minute, doubled the advantage in the 15th minute, and completed his hat-trick in the 25th minute.
In the last fixture of the day, DAV Public School, Faridabad, defeated Maharaja Aggarsain Adarsh Public School 5-0. Hitesh Solanki opened the scoring in the third minute before Pawan Gupta doubled the advantage in the second half. Tarun Gaur then scored a hat-trick to complete the emphatic victory.
The Oriental Cup 2026 continues on Thursday with more teams taking the field as the competition for places in the next round intensifies. The fourth edition, being held from July 7 to July 16 at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, is expected to feature over 1,500 student-athletes representing more than 45 teams from across Delhi-NCR. The tournament features a more than doubled prize pool and a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for 10 deserving student-athletes.
Results (Match Day 2):
Boys' Category:
Tagore International School 2-0 Sapphire International School, Noida
St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School beat St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave by walkover
Step by Step School, Noida 4-0 The Indian School
The Air Force School, Subroto Park 3-0 Father Agnel School, Noida
DAV Public School, Faridabad 5-0 Maharaja Aggarsain Adarsh Public School
Girls' Category
Sapphire International School, Noida 2-0 Tagore International School
St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School beat St. Mary's School, Safdarjung Enclave by walkover
Step by Step School, Noida beat The Indian School by walkover
— IANS
Reader Comments
Love seeing young talent getting this kind of platform. That hat-trick by Arnab Kashyap for Air Force School is seriously impressive. And the scholarship programme worth ₹2.5 lakh is a game-changer for these kids. Hope more schools join in. 🌟
I'm a bit disappointed that St. Mary's and The Indian School gave walkovers. In a competitive tournament, that's just not fair to others who are actually playing. But kudos to Step by Step School—4-0 is no joke! The girls' category needs more visibility too. 🙌
Fantastic to see school-level tournaments like this thriving. That DAV Public School 5-0 win is huge—hat-trick by Tarun Gaur in the second half! But coaching needs to improve if we want these kids to reach national levels. Still, a great day for Delhi football. 🔥
The rain making conditions tough just shows the grit of these young players. Really proud of Sapphire International girls for their win over Tagore! Dhanvi and Aadya Chawla—same surname, are they sisters? Either way, great teamwork. More power to women's football! ⚡💪
Walkovers are a bummer but the matches we did see were top-notch. Air Force School's hat-trick hero Arnab Kashyap is one to watch. That said, I worry about the infrastructure—waterlogged fields are not ideal for young athletes. Hope the organizers fix drainage for next year. Still, thumbs up for the effort! ✌️
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