Bengaluru, February 07, 2025: Chennaiyin FC successfully qualified for the National Finals of the Dream Sports Championship after they beat Alchemy International FA 4-3 in the regional final of the Bengaluru leg of the U-17 Football Tournament at the Padukone – Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence on Friday. They are the second team after Punjab FC (Delhi leg regional winners) to qualify for the National Final, which is scheduled to take place in Goa in April 2025.
Led by Mohammed Sahir’s two goals, Chennaiyin FC was able to turn the match around in their favour after going behind twice. The close thriller began when Alchemy took the lead with a strike in the fifth minute by Uttam Nagshepam. However, Chennaiyin FC levelled the score with Mohammed Sahir’s goal in the 25th minute — his first of the game.
Alchemy once again gained the upper hand, courtesy of an own goal by Chennaiyin midfielder James Chongloi in the 38th minute. But Sahir jumped to Chennaiyin FC’s rescue yet again, leveling the score 2-2 in the 60th minute. The match took a different course when Alchemy substitute Singamayum Iliyas was shown a red card in the 70th minute. This allowed a free kick to Chennaiyin FC, and Nitishkumar made the best of the opportunity by converting it into a successful goal, thus giving them the lead for the first time. This was further extended by Abinash Singh, who added the fourth goal in the 82nd minute.
Uttam attempted to reduce the deficit with a goal to Alchemy’s account from the spot in the 84th minute, but the side eventually fell short.
Randeep D, Secretary of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Govt of Karnataka, also graced the final with his presence to promote the sport among the youth of the state. “It was a pleasure to attend the Dream Sports Championship today and witness the talent and passion on display. Competitive platforms like this tournament — organized by the Dream Sports Foundation — are crucial for developing young players and shaping the future of the sport. Congratulations to the organizers for their efforts in creating such a valuable initiative for aspiring footballers,” he said while sharing his thoughts on the tournament.
Alchemy International FA and Chennaiyin FC both showcased impressive form to qualify for the Bengaluru regional final of the Dream Sports Championship at the Padukone – Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence. Alchemy started with a goalless draw against Bengaluru FC but secured their final spot with a commanding 6-0 victory over BBFS-Bengaluru in their last group game, featuring a brace from Aryan Bora and goals from Akshay Sinha, Uttam Nagshepam, Singamayum Iliyas, and captain Digbijoy Singh. Meanwhile, Chennaiyin FC dominated throughout, first thrashing Young Blues Elite FC 5-0 with all goals in the first half (including a Laishram Suraj Singh double), and then sealing their final berth with a 6-2 win over Bangalore Youth Football League, where James Thongloi scored twice and Nitishkumar Meitei added a brace to complement goals from Srimith K and Thongloi.
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