Tagore International, Step by Step School and The Air Force School register convincing wins on rain-hit Day 2 of Oriental Cup 2026

Tagore International School vs Sapphire International School, Noida (Girls) match.

Rakesh Thapliyal 

New Delhi: Relentless rain and waterlogged conditions at the Dr. Ambedkar Stadium brought the resilient spirit of the Oriental Cup 2026 to the fore, as young footballers competed with energy and determination on Day 2 of the tournament on Wednesday. The action on the pitch remained equally intense, with Tagore International School, Step by Step School, Noida, The Air Force School, Subroto Park, and DAV Public School, Faridabad registering convincing victories in the Boys’ category, while Sapphire International School, Noida emerged victorious in the Girls’ category.

Tagore International School began the day with a 2-0 victory over Sapphire International School, Noida in the Boys’ category. Ayushman Sharma scored once in each half, opening the scoring in the fourth minute before adding his second in the 29th minute to seal Tagore International’s passage to the next round.

In the corresponding Girls’ fixture, Sapphire International School defeated Tagore International School 2-0. Dhanvi Chawla opened the scoring in the sixth minute before Aadya Chawla doubled the advantage in the 12th minute, with the two first-half goals proving enough to secure the victory.

Tagore International School vs Sapphire International School, Noida (Boys) match.

St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School advanced in both the Boys’ and Girls’ categories after receiving walkovers against St. Mary’s School, Safdarjung Enclave.

The Air Force School, Subroto Park secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Father Agnel School, Noida, with Arnab Kashyap scoring all three goals. Kashyap opened the scoring in the fifth minute, doubled the advantage in the 15th minute and completed his hat-trick in the 25th minute.

Step by Step School, Noida registered a commanding 4-0 victory over The Indian School in the Boys’ category. Chitman Singh opened the scoring in the ninth minute and completed his brace in the 16th minute. Yuvaan Krishna added the third in the 20th minute before Vansh Gulati rounded off the scoring in the 27th minute.

Step by Step School also advanced in the Girls’ category after receiving a walkover against The Indian School.

Step by Step School, Noida vs The Indian School (Boys) match.

In the last fixture of the day, DAV Public School, Faridabad defeated Maharaja Aggarsain Adarsh Public School 5-0. Hitesh Solanki opened the scoring in the third minute before Pawan Gupta doubled the advantage in the second half. Tarun Gaur then scored a hat-trick to complete the emphatic victory.

The Oriental Cup 2026 continues on Thursday with more teams taking the field as the competition for places in the next round intensifies. The fourth edition, being held from July 7 to July 16 at Dr. Ambedkar Stadium, is expected to feature over 1,500 student-athletes representing more than 45 teams from across Delhi-NCR. The tournament features a more than doubled prize pool and a ₹2.5 lakh scholarship programme for 10 deserving student-athletes.

The fourth edition is supported by Oriental Structural Engineers Pvt. Ltd. as the title sponsor, with Nivia Sports as the Football Partner and Ocean Beverages as the Hydration Partner and Central Park Resorts as an Associate Partner.

Match Day 2 Results

Boys’ Category

Tagore International School 2-0 Sapphire International School, Noida

St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School beat St. Mary’s School, Safdarjung Enclave by walkover

Step by Step School, Noida 4-0 The Indian School

The Air Force School, Subroto Park 3-0 Father Agnel School, Noida

DAV Public School, Faridabad 5-0 Maharaja Aggarsain Adarsh Public School.

Girls’ Category

Sapphire International School, Noida 2-0 Tagore International School

St. Francis De Sales Senior Secondary School beat St. Mary’s School, Safdarjung Enclave by walkover.