The Indian Navy secured their place in the semifinals of the 97th All-India
In the other pool, the Indian Army also confirmed their progression to the final four. Their qualification was cemented after a dramatic 4-4 draw between Indian Railways and Punjab National Bank (PNB). The result proved fatal for PNB’s ambitions, as they required a seven-goal winning margin to leapfrog the Army in the standings.
Navy Dominance and Semifinal Pairings
Entering the match needing only a draw to progress, the Indian Navy maintained control throughout the contest. They signaled their intent early when Sushil Dhanwar struck the post in the sixth minute, before Bhavin Kushalappa broke the deadlock just two minutes later. Although the Malaysia Junior Team leveled the score in the 27th minute through Muhamad Harith, the Navy responded swiftly.
K. Selvaraj restored the lead for the Navy in the 30th minute, deflecting a Sanjit Toppo drag-flick into the net. The momentum continued into the second half as Pawan Rajbhar added a third goal in the 36th minute with a precise flick into the top of the net. Nitesh extended the lead to 4-1 in the 43rd minute. While Muhammad Aizat managed to pull a goal back for the visitors shortly after, the Navy comfortably held on to secure the win.
High-Stakes Draw in Pool-A
The qualification scenario in Pool-A was decided by the intense encounter between Indian Railways and PNB. Despite a brace from Sheshe Gowda and goals from Lovepreet Singh and Jaswinder Singh, Railways were held to a 4-4 stalemate. PNB’s late surge, highlighted by a hat-trick from Naveen Antil in the final minutes, was not enough to overcome the goal-difference deficit required to advance.
With the group stages concluded, the semifinal lineup is now set for Saturday. The Indian Navy will face the Pool-A toppers, Indian Railways, while the Pool-B winners, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL), are scheduled to take on the Indian Army.
