Odisha qualified for the Final Round of the Sub-junior Boys National Football Championship by winning both of their East Zone Group-B league matches with effortless ease, held at Kumar Mangalam Stadium in Bokaro, Jharkhand from 4 to 8 September, 2019.

Led by Anil Toppo, Odisha started campaign on a sparkling note, hammering Sikkim 16-0 on September 4. Odisha boys capped their zonal campaign with a 5-1 mauling of Sports Authority of India (SAI) today.

Mercurial forward Rahim Bada turned out to be the main architect of the Odisha wins, scoring as many as seven goals in the two games, including a hat-trick in each of the two.

ODISHA RESULTS:
Sept 4: Odisha (Shasikant Pradhan 22’, Anil Topo 47’, Arbin Lakra 21’, 46’, Rahim Bada 24’, 26’, 33’, 50’, Ajay Toppo 3’, 32’, Prassan Bara 54’, Binod Majhi 60’, Bhagirathi Soren 78’, B Siba 73’, Kanhei Naik 85’, Ajay Tamang 63’-OG) beat Sikkim 16-0.
Sept 8: Odisha (Srikant Pradhani 15’, Anil Toppo 49’, Rahim Bada 23’, 47’, 55’) beat SAI (H Thaithoiba Singh 68’) 5-1.

ODISHA TEAM:
Goalkeepers: Indra Kujur, Sadanand Kanhar.
Defenders: Trilochan Kindo, Pintu Oram, Abhishek Ekka, Sapan Samal, Mangal Soren, Nawazuddin.
Mid-fielders: Prasana K Bara, Anil Toppo, Binod Majhi, Mansing Hembram, Bhagirathi Soren, Ajay Toppo, Sashikanta Pradhani, B Siba.
Forwards: Arbin Lakra, Rahim Bada, Chintu Nag, Kanhei Nayak.
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PHOTO: Odisha sub-junior boys team with head coach Nipendra Das.