Dimapur District Football Association will clash against Mon District Football Association in the final match of the ongoing 22nd edition of the Inter-District Football Championship Dr. T. Ao Trophy 2022 at Imkongmeren Sports complex Mokokchung on Friday.
A friendly rivalry between former academy colleagues Tingnyek (Ating) Konyak and Kivi Zhimomi in the final match. Both players are wearing the captain’s armband for Mon and Dimapur respectively. The duo has played together since their academy days in Dimapur. Ating and Zhimomi perhaps formed the best known midfield partnership in their prime time.
The duo has played together in local tournaments, and were even signed by the Shillong-based club Rangdajied United FC. However, Kivi went on to play in the I-league while Ating returned to Nagaland. Kivi went on to sign with Northeast United but Ating’s career was restrained by his injuries.
Ating, the captain of Mon team, is back to his form leading his team to the final of the tournament against all odds. “I’ve been nervous about leading the team where the players have never played together as a team, but with how our performance has been throughout the tournament, I trust my team. If we continue to maintain the consistency and put in a little more effort, we can hopefully win the title,” Ating said. Speaking about Kivi, his former teammate, he describes him as an excellent player and added that it will be an honor to play against his team.
On their preparations for the final, he said the team have given their best in all the matches and hope to do the same even in the final. While expressing his excitement for the support the team has been receiving from fans, he hoped that the team can bring them as much joy and pride through their final match by giving their best effort.
Kivi Zhimomi, former Northeast United player and now Gokulam FC player in an interaction said he was very excited for the final and believed his team can do it by giving everything to make history.
On Ating Konyak, Kivi expressed his excitement meeting him in the final and added that playing against him will be difficult for his team as “he is the best midfielder in Nagaland in his prime” and wished him all the best for the final match.
On the preparation for the final, Kivi said the Dimapur team will go all out with no excuses and will fight till the end of the whistle blow. As captain, he said he has to be an example so he will give his everything for the final match and believes his team will play as one team, one heart and give all glory to God.
Dimapur have scored eight goals in five matches. Kakhevi Assumi is the leading scorer of the team with three goals. They are yet to concede a goal in the tournament.
Dimapur beat Niuland and Peren in quarterfinals and semis to enter the final of the tournament.
Mon have scored 12 goals with Laiwang Bohham Konyak and Shamba Samson Konyak scoring three goals each. Mon defeated the defending champions Phek and strong title contenders Tseminyu in quarter finals and semis of the tournament on their road to the final.
Meanwhile, in an exhibition match played between the Organizing Committee and NFA Technical Team on Thursday, NFA technical team defeated the Organizing Committee by 3-2 goals.
The closing ceremony of the Dr. T Ao trophy XXII Inter-District Football Tournament will be graced by Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio as chief guest on 29th April 2022 from 12:00 noon onwards at Imkongmeren Sports Complex. The tournament, which is also a commemoration of NFA’s 50 glorious years of existence, is being hosted by the Mokokchung District Football Association.