AIFF Media Team

BHAVNAGAR, GUJARAT: Corbett FC (Uttarakhand), Progressive Sports Academy (Gujarat) and Goal Hunterz FC (Delhi) recorded contrasting victories over their respective rivals in the fifth AIFF Futsal Club Championship at the SAG Indoor Stadium in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on Friday, June 19, 2026. 

Last year’s beaten semi-finalists Corbett made an impressive start to their Group A campaign as they trounced Build Up Sports (Madhya Pradesh) 9-3. Later in the two Group B clashes, Progressive SA, who had played a 5-5 draw with holders Goal Hunterz (Delhi) two days ago, recorded a fluent 10-3 victory over Minerva Academy (Punjab). For Minerva, this was their second straight defeat.

Goal Hunterz managed to stave off a strong challenge from Millat FC (Maharashtra) 3-2 to make the qualification race to the quarter-finals rather intriguing in Group B. 

Both Goal Hunterz and Progressive SA now have four points from one win and a draw each. Millat FC have three points from two games. 

Goal Hunterz will take on Minerva Academy, who are out of the reckoning after two defeats, while Millat FC will lock horns with Progressive SA to decide which two teams of the three will advance to the last eight stage on what would be a super Sunday on June 21.

Build Up Sports 3 (Rohit Egral 12’ 25’ 30’) 
lost to
Corbett FC 9 (Lalmuansanga Sailung 6’ 24’ 26’ PC Lalruatsanga 11’ 12’ 18’ 38’ Pratik Swami 14’ Jonathan Lalrawngbawla 22’) 

Corbett FC began as brightly as their dark blue jerseys. Keeping possession with some close control, astute positioning and quick interchange of positions, they built up pressure on Build Up Sports slowly but surely. They also tried some shots from afar but without success. 

It was Malsawmtluanga Pautu who conducted the orchestra with aplomb. But they opened their tally in the sixth minute as Lalmuansanga Sailung converted a nice pass from Fredsan Marshall with a high right footer that settled in. 

PC Lalruatsanga scored two goals in quick succession as he fired one in from the right and then rolled the ball in from close quarters to cap a fine move.

Unfortunately, Malsawmtluanga and Build Up Sports’ Shrey were involved in a skirmish, and both were shown a red card reducing the substitution options of both teams. 

Just as Corbett seemed to run away with the game, Build Up Sports reduced the margin as Rohit Egral ran down the right and slammed home a low shot. But Corbett’s Pratik Swami latched on to a move inside the area, did a quick turn and sent in a low shot to once again make it 4-1. That’s the way it stayed at half-time. 

Jonathan Lalrawngbawla made it 5-1 two minutes into the second session with a crisp volley before Lalmuansanga fired home two more goals in quick succession as his right footers brooked no answers. They were sitting pretty with an 8-1 lead wrapped up with about 12 minutes of play remaining. 

As they relaxed their grip a little, Rohit Egral moved in from the right to slam home and then did the same from the left as if for variety to notch up a hat-trick, his second of the tournament, to make it 3-8. But Lalruatsanga once again got into the scoring act to finish off a nice move on the right with a terrific rising right footer that landed into the cage as Corbett eventually wrapped up the match at 9-3 to start on a winning note.

Minerva Academy FC 3 (Himanshu Jangra 10’ 29’ 33’)
lost to
Progressive Sports Academy 10 (Chaitan Komarpant 3’ 28’ 28’ Lalsawmpuia 7’ 11’ Nikhil Mali 12’ 15’ Aman Shah 17’ Seaon D’Souza 26’ Gaurav Kakonkar 37’) 

Two early goals provided the impetus for the Progressive Sports Academy to control the game as they liked. Though Minerva Academy pulled one back immediately, Progressive carried too many guns to be kept in check. Their passing was absolutely effective as they moved the ball around with quick interchange of positions. They moved into open spaces wide and then tried to pierce through the centre with surprise passes without the slightest indication of purpose. That opened up the avenues for them to find the net with amazing regularity as they wrapped up a commanding 6-1 lead by the end of the first half. 

It was Chaitan Komarpant who opened their tally in the third minute as he finished off a pass from Lalsawmpuia on the left. Four minutes later, Aman Shah found Lalsawmpuia free on the far side. He rolled the ball across the circle for Lalswampuia to fill the net. But in the very next minute, skipper Himanshu Jangra provided some hope for Minerva with a rousing finish from near the centreline in a flash.

But Dishu Singh produced a peach of a pass for Lalsawmpuia, who only had to roll it in to make it 3-1. Progressive never looked back thereafter. They stepped up the pressure and attacked with skipper Nikhil Mali and Komarpant doing a lot of spade work. Mali himself struck twice within three minutes to make it 5-1 as he first shot on the turn and then dispossessed Md Azam Khan on the right before placing it in. Three minutes before the breather, Aman Shah scored a superb goal as he slammed in a curling left footer to the top corner after Krishna Gawas had rolled in his corner kick on the left.

Progressive were not satisfied with a 6-1 half-time lead and struck thrice in quick succession between the 26th and 28th minutes. Seaon D’Souza drew goalkeeper Akash off his cage and placed home. The trio of D'Souza, Mali and Komarpant combined well with one-touch play as they changed flanks and found the corridor for Komarpant to score two more goals and take his tally to three in the game. 

Jangra did manage to net two more against the run of play, but Gaurav Kakonkar came on to take from D’Souza and slam home as the home crowd cheered their team, with Progressive SA wrapping up a convincing 10-3 victory.

Millat FC 2 (Pawan Rawat 28’ 39’)
lost to
Goal Hunterz FC 3 (Bijoy Gusai 16’ Mukul Shoun 23’ Mahip Adhikari 40’)

Goal Hunterz FC and Millat FC fought a calculated defensive battle with at least one player functioning as the anchor almost always. At times, they had two defending as both tried to work up moves at a fast clip and pile up pressure. Often, they tried long shots as they were unable to get openings. But the goalkeepers on both sides - Anees Iske for Millat and Aleef Rahman Mollah for Goal Hunterz - were not to be beaten as they palmed away fierce tries. 

It took all of 16 minutes of the first half for the first goal of the game to come. Mahip Adhikari produced a firm shot which came off the right upright. But Bijoy Gusai was on hand to push it home as Goal Hunterz took the lead. That was the only goal of the first half.

On resumption, Goal Hunterz managed to make it 2-0 as Mukul Shoun stunned everyone with a rasping left footer from near the centreline as it curled into the net in the 23rd minute. 

Both sides tried to produce some good moves with effective positioning, but again, the defences held good. However, Millat reduced the margin as Sagar Singh’s free-kick was diverted by Karan Siddique for Pawan Rawat to again slide home.

The game tended to become a little physical as both traded fouls. Three minutes before close, Goal Hunterz were penalised for their sixth accumulated foul. However, Keegan Pinto failed to beat Anas Iske, who tipped his shot over the crossbar.

It was Millat’s turn to pile up fouls, and Goal Hunterz got a DFKSAF. Adhikari’s stiff shot was pushed back by goalkeeper Mollah. Adhikari again slammed hard, but this time Mollah held well.

In the dying seconds of the game, Millat gave away another direct free kick for their seventh accumulated foul. Adhikari this time sent a low shot which settled into the net for the winner. Millat had no time left for anything and crashed to an agonising defeat even as Goal Hunterz were delighted.