MSSA U-16 Div III football: Unwell Neville Patel puts on courageous show

Dhirubai Ambaniu00c3u00a2u00c2u0080u00c2u0099s 'keeper Neville Patel in action at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

The call of duty is top priority for Neville Patel, goalkeeper of Dhirubai Ambani School (BKC). Despite being unwell for the past couple of days, the passionate footballer Neville, 14, turned up to play their quarter-final match against St Paul's (Dadar) in the Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA)-organised boys' U-16 Div III inter-school football tournament at Azad Maidan yesterday.

"I have been down with influenza since the last four days I am still running a temperature and have a sore throat, but nothing stands in my way when I want to play football. My parents had no objections in permitting me to go for the match," Neville told mid-day.

However, Neville was unable to save the day for his school, who were a depleted lot as six of their regular players were unavailable to play the match due to personal reasons and they lost 2-0 to the Dadar boys. Soham Anekar and Prem Pawar scored a goal apiece for the Dadar outfit Other results: Girls' U-16 Div I: Bombay Scottish, Mahim 2 (Janhavi Mullerpathan 2) beat Lakshadham, Goregaon 0; Boys' U-16 Div III (quarter-final): Thakur Public School, Kandivli 1 (Arpit Samantara) beat Gokuldham, Goregaon 0. Rustomjee, Dahisar 2 (Suyash Sapre, Sharva Patwari) beat Fazlani, Mazagaon 0.

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