Defending champions Tuensang stormed to a resounding 6-0 victory over Shamator in Match 18 of the ongoing inter-district football tournament, with star striker Ayenmongba netting a sensational hat-trick to further strengthen his claim for the Golden Boot.
It took Tuensang just 11 minutes to break the deadlock in the Group A encounter, with Dongehanglen firing home the opener. Ten minutes later, Bapen doubled the lead with a clinical finish as Tuensang’s dominance became apparent.
Ayenmongba then stole the show with back-to-back goals in the 30th and 31st minutes and effectively ending Shamator’s hopes before the break. Namang added a fifth in the 42nd minute, and Ayenmongba completed his hat-trick in the 60th to cap off an unrelenting offensive display.
The 21-year-old forward now tops the Golden Boot chart with seven goals in three matches.
With the win, Tuensang moves to 7 points from three matches (2 wins, 1 draw) and remains firmly in contention for a spot in the knockout stages. Their final group match against Niuland on August 9 is expected to be a decider, with Niuland trailing just behind at 6 points.
Meanwhile, Mon, with 4 points from two matches, still has a chance to top Group A if they win both of their upcoming fixtures against Zunheboto and Shamator on August 8 and 9 respectively.