Swami Vivekananda Men's U20 NFC: Mizoram, Tripura, Maharashtra fight for top spot in Group D

IANS May 17, 2025 379 views

The Swami Vivekananda Men's U20 National Football Championship saw spectacular performances as Mizoram and Maharashtra battled in Group D. Mizoram crushed Himachal Pradesh 8-0, with Joel Lalramengmawia scoring four goals. Meanwhile, Maharashtra secured a 4-1 victory over Jharkhand, driven by a hat-trick from Niranjan Gaikwad. With several teams tied on points, the competition for the top spot and a semi-final place is fierce.

"Joel Lalramengmawia was the star, netting half of Mizoram's goals." - Article Source
Narainpur, May 16: Mizoram and Maharashtra won their respective Group D matches of the Swami Vivekananda Men's U20 National Football Championship against Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand, at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground, on Friday. While Mizoram demolished Himachal 8-0 In the morning, Maharashtra defeated Jharkhand 4-1.

Key Points

1

Mizoram stuns Himachal 8-0 with four from Joel Lalramengmawia

2

Maharashtra's Gaikwad hat-trick secures win over Jharkhand

3

Both teams vying for top Group D spot

4

Top group advances to semi-finals

Joel Lalramengmawia (43', 51', 54' p, 61') was the star of the show, netting half of Mizoram's goals, while Mesak C. Lalrinngheta (46'), Ngurthanmawia (75'), John Lalrinawma (80'), and Stephen Ngurchhuanmawia (88' p) scored one each.

Maharashtra defeated Jharkhand 4-1 to maintain their challenge for the top spot in Group D. All the goals came in the second half.

Niranjan Gaikwad (48', 80', 90+4') scored a hat-trick to keep his side in the hunt for a semifinal spot. While Jharkhand had momentarily equalised through Krishna Hembrom (68'), they would soon find themselves behind again, as Gaikwad continued his scoring form. Arhev Jodhwani (90+3') added one more in injury time to wrap up the three points for Maharashtra.

The top three sides in the group - Mizoram, Tripura, and Maharashtra - are locked on six points each, though Maharashtra have played three matches, one more than the other two. Only the top team will make it to the semi-finals.

On Thursday, Manipur and Punjab won their respective matches against Uttar Pradesh and Sikkim in Group C. While Manipur defeated Uttar Pradesh 2-0, Punjab overcame Sikkim 3-2.

Manipur remain fourth in the group despite the win, having garnered three points from two matches. Uttar Pradesh, on the other hand, remain top of the group despite this defeat. They are on six points from three matches, the same as Punjab, but are ahead of the latter by dint of a better head-to-head record.

Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
What a performance by Mizoram! 8-0 is absolutely ruthless 🔥 Joel Lalramengmawia with 4 goals - this boy is on fire! Northeast states continue to dominate Indian football. Hope AIFF gives more exposure to these talents.
P
Priya M.
Maharashtra's comeback after Jharkhand equalized shows great character. Niranjan Gaikwad's hat-trick was clinical! But the real test will be against Mizoram - that match will decide the group. Best of luck to all teams!
A
Arjun S.
Why isn't this tournament getting more coverage? These young players deserve better visibility. The quality of football from Mizoram and Manipur is always exciting to watch. Star Sports should broadcast these matches!
S
Sunita P.
As a football mom, I'm so proud seeing these young talents shine! But I wish the organizers would provide better facilities. Saw pictures of the ground - looks very basic for a national championship. Our future stars deserve better infrastructure.
V
Vikram J.
The competition in Group D is intense! Three teams on 6 points each - this is what makes football exciting. Maharashtra might have disadvantage having played one extra match. Mizoram looks strongest contender right now.
N
Neha T.
So happy to see football growing beyond traditional centers! Himachal might have lost badly, but just their participation is progress. Hope more states invest in grassroots development. Football unites India like nothing else 🇮🇳⚽

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U20 NFC Mizoram vs Himachal Maharashtra vs Jharkhand Football Championship 2023