Minerva Academy had a prosperous Gothia Cup campaign from the start.
The kickoff was signalled by the referee’s whistle, and the Indians quickly scored the first goal by getting through the Ordin FC defence. They quickly replicated the act, making it 2-0 within five minutes.
Quickly regaining composure, the Brazilians struck a stunning goal to cut the lead in half. The rest of the first half was fairly competitive, but Minerva Academy FC had a 3-1 advantage at the break.
Minerva Academy made history by becoming the first Indian team to ever win the Gothia Cup by successfully holding the Brazilians at bay for the entirety of the second half.
The significance of their coming victory became clear to Khwairakpam as the game’s final minutes drew near. The custodian said it was hard to hold back emotions when the final whistle came at the SKF Arena.