MCL Cup: Kalinga Bidyapitha, Vikash Res post contracting wins

Bhubaneswar: Defending champions Kalinga Bidyapitha and last year’s runners-up Vikash Residential School registered contrasting wins in respective opening league matches of the 29th MCL Cup Bhubaneswar Inter-School Football Tournament at Unit-VI Boys’ High School Ground here on Saturday.
Playing like champions, Kalinga Bidyapitha rode on a double by Mihir Dehuri to pulverise St Joseph’s High School 5-0 in Group A. Dehuri struck in the 18th and 32nd minutes after Ashok Padhi drew first blood early in the second minute.
Other two goals for Kalinga Bidyapitha were netted by Anil Padhi (23rd) and Mohan Bhoi (36th). A skillful left-winger, Ashok Padhi’s performance fetched him the player of the match, which was handed over by former Odisha woman javelin international Sushama Behera.
Later in the day, Vikash Residential School faced stiff fight from DAV School, Pokhariput, before winning their Group-B match by a solitary goal. After a barren first half, Biswajit Mallick scored the all-important goal in the 35th minute. He was presented with the man of the match prize by AIFF Refere Instructor Sushant Mohanty.
The tournament is being organised by premier football club Unit-VI Athletic Association. Today’s matches were officiated by match commissioner Maheswar Singh along with referees Prakash Das, Sekhawat Khan, Chandrakanta Barik, Kirti Swain and Bulbul Bhoi. After a gap of three days, the tournament will resume on August 16.