Kohima, 20 September (MTNews): Medziphema Royal FC and Patkai Christian College both secured victories in their respective matches, earning their spots in the next round of the ongoing 23rd NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy 2023, played at IG Stadium Kohima on Wednesday.
In the first match, Medziphema Royal FC triumphed over Fixate FC with a score of 3-1, securing their passage to the next round. Captain Visalie Mezhü of Medziphema Royal FC set the tone by converting a penalty in the 2nd minute following a defensive foul that led to the spot-kick. He notched a goal for the team, and Mangal Gurung of MRFC extended their lead by heading in a goal in the 5th minute. The second half witnessed Shamba Samson’s successful penalty conversion in the 47th minute, narrowing the score to 1-2. However, Seiminthang of MRFC put the game beyond Fixate FC’s reach with an 83rd-minute goal from Mezhu’s corner kick, securing the victory for MRFC.
In the second match, Patkai Christian College displayed dominance as they outclassed Pro_D FC with an impressive 4-0 victory. The match’s first goal was an own goal, credited to Akito A Yeptho, who inadvertently flicked the ball into their net in the 10th minute, giving Patkai an early lead.
Enebe Thopi, the prolific striker of PCC, opened the scoring and added two more goals in the 13th and 73rd minutes, while Lengpan Konyak contributed another goal in the 32nd minute. This match also saw the first red card of the tournament when Ningpao Khiam of PCC was sent off in the 70th minute for a foul play. However, the college team managed to maintain their lead until the final whistle, securing a well-deserved victory.