The girls U-16 Division-I semi-finals of the MSSA inter-school football tournament between Jamnabai Narsee (Vile Parle) and Arya Vidya Mandir (Juhu) at Wings Sports Centre, Bandra, on Monday delivered not only drama, but also a fascinating subplot of two friends turning into rivals. The match was a tense affair with Jamnabai beating AVM 4-3 via tie-breaker.

Jamnabai’s Nehchal Bright and Smt RSB Arya Vidya Mandir’s Radhika Vyas usually share the same colours, passes, and celebrations as teammates at the Mumbai Knights football club. But on Monday, there was no familiar camaraderie, only fierce determination to take their respective schools into the final.

Jamnabai Narsee players celebrate their semi-final victory against AVM in Bandra on Monday. Pic/Shadab Khan