UditVani, Jamshedpur : Jamshedpur FC U-17 created history on Sunday morning as they demolished AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy 5-0 in the semifinal of the AIFF U-17 Elite Youth League 2024-25 at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.
This marks the first time Jamshedpur FC have secured a place in the national final of the Elite League. Notably, Tata Football Academy has also never reached the final of the U-17 league before.
Jamshedpur began with intensity and intent, pressing high and dominating the midfield from the outset. Their efforts bore fruit in the 24th minute when Soumik Das won the ball on the right flank and surged ahead to deliver a fine cross into the box, where Gopal Munda, sprinting in from the left, slid and smashed the ball home.
AIFF tried to regroup and had a couple of attempts at goal, but goalkeeper Ritabrata Sarkar stood tall with two crucial saves that kept JFC ahead. Then in the 41st minute, Sachin Singh doubled the lead in style. Winning the ball just outside the box, he dribbled past a couple of defenders and finished smartly to make it 2-0.
Jamshedpur continued to press for a third and came close again right before half-time, but Sachin was denied twice in succession by the AIFF keeper.
That third goal, however, arrived just seconds into the second half. A move initiated by Heeranganba Seram saw him attempt a pass inside the box, which an AIFF defender tried to clear, only to deflect it into his own net, making it 3-0 for JFC in the 46th minute and leaving AIFF reeling.
With the game opening up, Jamshedpur piled on the pressure. In the 77th minute, substitute Mars Ningthoujam rose above his marker to meet a delightful cross from Sachin and sent a flying header into the net, catching the goalkeeper on the wrong foot for JFC’s fourth.
In the 86th minute, as AIFF searched for a consolation goal, JFC hit them on the counter. Zuala won the ball on the left flank, darted past defenders, and sent a sharp cross into the path of Seram, who timed his run perfectly to tap it home and complete the 5-0 win.
This dominant victory was especially significant considering AIFF-FIFA Talent Academy had played 15 matches in the tournament and lost only two—both against Jamshedpur FC.
Now, Jamshedpur FC will face Punjab FC in the final on May 14 at 3:30 pm.
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