Swami Vivekananda U20 NFC: Uttar Pradesh provisionally top group C, but Punjab best placed to qualify for quarter-finals

While UP is currently top of the group with seven points from four matches, Manipur and Punjab are in close pursuit with six points after having played one match less than the current toppers. UP have finished all their matches in the group, however, and it will all depend on the results in the matches between Punjab and Ladakh, as well as Manipur and Sikkim, on May 19. Only the top team will progress to the quarter-finals.

The equation is simplest for Punjab. If they defeat Ladakh, they finish top and qualify for the quarter-finals, regardless of other results.

Manipur, on the other hand, need to ensure that they get a better result than Punjab to make it. However, if both the matches on May 19 finish in draws and all three teams in contention finish on seven points, Manipur will end up topping the group due to their better head-to-head records against the other two sides.

Meanwhile, UP will hope for a draw between Punjab and Ladakh, followed by a win for Sikkim against Manipur. In such a scenario, UP, Punjab, and Sikkim will finish on seven points, with the former at the top due to a better head-to-head record against the other two sides.

Sikkim came back from behind twice to draw their match against Uttar Pradesh 2-2 on Saturday, effectively ending their hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds. UP led 2-1 at halftime.

UP opened the scoring with Vijay Bahadur Patel's (14') strike, which was levelled by Rapgay Lepcha (22'). Pravesh Kumar (34') put UP back in the lead in the first half itself, but Sikkim kept plugging till the last minute of regulation time, when Anoj Tamang (90') found the equaliser.

Manipur won their second match in a row, defeating Ladakh 4-1. The scores were tied 1-1 at half-time.

Akash Tirkey had initially put Ladakh (23') into the lead, before Manipur drew level through Md Abash (45+1') just minutes before the break. The second half was all about the northeastern state, as they scored through Leishungbam Bankimchandra Singh (52'), Chanam Akash Meitei (59'), and Ngairangbam Jarish Singh (90') to keep alive their quarter-final hopes.