SPO-KHELO-FOOTBALL

Mizoram and Tamil Nadu played out a

2-2 draw and qualified for the semi-finals from Pool A in the

girls U-21 football competition of the Khelo India Youth Games

here Monday.

Trailing 0-2 till the 39th minute, Mizoram came back

strongly to draw parity thanks to an 81st minute spot kick

converted by D Vanlaliiriattiri.

S Priyadharshni put Tamil Nadu ahead in the 11th

minute, while Sandhiya P made it 2-0. Gladys Zonunsangi

reduced the margin in the 39th minute, a media release said.

Tamil Nadu topped the pool with seven points, while

Mizoram were second with five points.

In an inconsequential match, Odisha drubbed Himachal

12-0.

In the girls Under-17 Pool A, Odisha recorded their

third straight win, defeating Kerala 5-1, and with nine points

made the cut for the knockout stage.

Despite the defeat, Kerala also made it to the last

four with a better goal difference ahead of Maharashtra. The

hosts trounced Himachal 18-0, but that was not sufficient as

Kerala had beaten Himachal 28-0.

In boys Under-17, Mizoram beat Punjab 3-1 but failed

to make it to the semi-final from Pool A.

In another match, Karnataka beat Uttarakhand 5-0.

Punjab, Karnataka and Mizoram each finished with six

points but Karnataka had a goal difference of six followed by

Punjabs four.

Mizoram, with a plus-2 difference, had to bow out, the

release said.

In boys Under-21 matches, Mizoram beat Kerala 3-1 to

top Pool A.

Chandigarh and Maharashtra played out a 0-0 draw.

The three teams finished with two points each, but

Kerala made it to the last four on goal difference.