NEW DELHI: Reaffirming its absolute dominance in Indian youth football, Minerva Academy FC has been crowned champions of the AIFF Sub-Junior League for the third consecutive year. This landmark victory completes a historic tally of four AIFF youth league titles for the academy across the Under-13 and Under-14 categories.
The defending champions capped off a memorable campaign by lifting the prestigious trophy following a commanding 4-1 victory over Classic Football Academy in the grand finale.
A Dominant Finale Performance The final match perfectly reflected Minerva Academy FC’s superiority throughout the tournament. The team started with tremendous intensity, taking an early advantage when Mukhtar opened the scoring in the 8th minute. The momentum stayed firmly with Minerva as Nagais produced a brilliant strike in the 23rd minute to double the lead. Dictating the tempo and dominating possession, Minerva extended their lead to 3-0 before halftime, effectively putting the game out of reach for their opponents.
While Classic Football Academy attempted a comeback in the second half, Minerva’s defense remained disciplined and composed. Displaying a mature winning mentality, Minerva sealed the 4-1 triumph when Lanchemba converted a penalty in the 90th minute.
Staggering Campaign Statistics The numbers from this year’s campaign highlight Minerva Academy FC’s extraordinary caliber. Over the course of the tournament, the champions scored a staggering 112 goals while conceding only 17, alongside recording six clean sheets. This blend of attacking firepower and defensive solidity made them the undisputed best team in the competition.
Individual brilliance also shined through the squad’s performance. Ngaiyaza Zingyo emerged as the tournament’s top scorer with an outstanding 17 goals. He was closely followed by Rimoson Singh Huidrom, who enjoyed a phenomenal campaign with 14 goals. Thangmingun Kipgen contributed 12 goals, while Mukhtar and Bickson further showcased the squad’s incredible depth by adding 12 goals each.
This latest achievement cements Minerva Academy FC as one of the premier youth football institutions in the country and a true powerhouse in grassroots development, consistently setting new benchmarks for footballing excellence in India.
