NT Reporter
Arpora
Arpora Sporting edged past KDR Boys of Arpora 4-2 on penalties and lift the ANB Unity League title in a 5-a-side football finale held at the St Sebastian Ground, Arpora.
Organized by Happy Boys, the two-day tournament brought together eight local teams in a spirited showcase of football.
The final ended 1-1 in regulation time. Rujal Sangodkar gave Arpora Sporting the lead, but KDR Boys’ marquee man, Pruthvesh Pednekar, responded with a swift equalizer. With no breakthrough in normal time, the match moved into penalties, where Bhavesh Gawas, Saidutt Haldankar, and Sangodkar converted for Arpora Sporting. Pednekar was the lone scorer in the shootout for KDR Boys.
Despite falling short in the final, Pednekar walked away with the Golden Boot, having netted eight goals across the tournament. Ashmit Paswan of Holiday Sports Club Arpora was named Best Goalkeeper after registering three clean sheets, while KDR Boys’ Nitesh Chavan earned Player of the Tournament honours for his all-round impact—scoring a goal and making several crucial saves throughout the campaign.