Matchday 4 of the 25th Dr T Ao Trophy Inter-District Football Championship 2026 produced four consequential results on Friday, with Tuensang becoming the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals and Meluri the first to be eliminated from Group C. In Group A, defending champions Mon staged a comeback win, while Dimapur suffered their second consecutive defeat, leaving their hopes of reaching the knockout stage in jeopardy.
The biggest setback of the day came for hosts Mokokchung, who squandered an early lead to lose 1–2 to Tuensang, leaving their quarterfinal hopes hanging by a thread.
Wokha rout Meluri 8–0
Wokha delivered the day’s biggest win, routing Meluri 8–0 in a Group C encounter, strengthening their prospects of qualifying for the quarterfinals.
Yibenthung opened the scoring in the 15th minute before Mhachio doubled the lead a minute later. Saronbemo added the third in the 34th minute, while Ekonthung and Pibenthung scored in the 38th and 43rd minutes respectively to extend Wokha’s advantage.
Ekonthung completed his hat-trick with goals in the 48th and 52nd minutes, while Pibenthung scored his second in stoppage time at 70+2 minutes to complete the rout.
Wokha dominated possession with 60 per cent and registered 18 shots, including 14 on target, compared with Meluri’s 11 attempts and three on target. Wokha also won nine corners to Meluri’s seven.
The defeat confirmed Meluri’s elimination from Group C.
Atopu strike gives Zunheboto narrow win over Dimapur
Zunheboto secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Dimapur in Match No. 11, with Atopu’s seventh-minute strike proving decisive. It was Atopu’s fourth goal in two matches in the tournament, following his hat-trick against Noklak.
The early goal gave Zunheboto the advantage, but Dimapur responded with sustained attacking pressure in search of an equaliser. Despite registering 17 shots, six on target, and winning 10 corners, Dimapur could not breach Zunheboto’s defence.
Zunheboto recorded 15 shots, four on target, and held 55 per cent possession against Dimapur’s 45 per cent. Dimapur continued to press after their narrow defeat to Mon in their opening match, but Zunheboto maintained their defensive discipline to preserve the lead and secure all three points.
The defeat was Dimapur’s second consecutive loss, further denting their hopes of reaching the knockout stage. Zunheboto and Mon lead Group A with six points each after winning both their matches, while Dimapur, Kiphire and Noklak remain without a point, with the latter two having played only once.
Dimapur have two league matches remaining, against Kiphire and Noklak, and can finish with a maximum of six points if they win both. To keep their qualification hopes alive, they will also need favourable results in the remaining matches involving Zunheboto and Mon, both of whom currently have six points with two matches in hand. Dimapur’s chances of reaching the quarterfinals will therefore depend not only on winning their remaining fixtures but also on either Mon or Zunheboto losing both of their remaining matches.
Defending champions Mon rally to beat Kiphire 3–1
Defending champions Mon recovered from an early deficit to defeat Kiphire 3–1 on Friday, producing a strong response after falling behind.
Kiphire took the lead through Yotsase in the 28th minute. Mon’s A Amun was cautioned in the 32nd minute, but the defending champions restored parity through Echung at first half stoppage time.
Mon then moved ahead through L Nyamnyei in the 37th minute before Nokwang sealed the win with a third goal in the 70th minute.
Mon controlled 70 per cent of possession and registered 13 shots, nine on target. Kiphire managed 16 attempts, with seven on target, but could not capitalise on their opportunities. Mon also won six corners against Kiphire’s two.
The comeback win kept the defending champions in second place in the Group A points table, behind Zunheboto on goal difference, with both teams level on six points.
Mokokchung on brink of elimination; Tuensang qualify for quarterfinals, Meluri eliminated
Hosts Mokokchung are on the brink of elimination from the 25th Dr T Ao Inter-District Football Trophy 2026 after collecting just one point from their first two Group C matches, leaving them with a difficult qualification equation ahead of their final league fixture on October 20.
All four teams in Group C have completed the second leg of the round-robin stage, with each having played two matches. The final round of Group C matches will be played on October 20.
Mokokchung began their campaign with a 3-3 draw against Wokha in the tournament’s inaugural match. However, they failed to build on that result, losing 1-2 to Tuensang on Friday despite taking the lead through Imnatoshi in the 26th minute. Tuensang turned the match around after the break, with Ayenmongba equalising in the 45th minute before Bichumli scored the winner four minutes later, securing three crucial points and becoming the first team to qualify for the quarterfinals. Mokokchung centre-back Tongpangnungshi also missed a penalty with three minutes remaining in regulation time, and none of the forwards in the box could capitalise on the rebound after Tuensang goalkeeper Imtikumzuk initially blocked the spot-kick.
Tuensang had 55 per cent possession and registered 15 shots, nine on target, while Mokokchung recorded 14 shots, including six on target. Tuensang also won eight corners against Mokokchung’s four.
Mokokchung’s inability to protect leads, not once, not twice, not three times, but four times, has proved costly. They took the lead three times against Wokha but were pegged back on each occasion before surrendering their advantage against Tuensang. Their struggles to convert opportunities and maintain composure have left their qualification hopes hanging by a thread. The shortcomings were evident in their inability to finish chances, organise defensively and hold on to leads, raising questions about the quality of coaching, exposure to higher levels of competition and overall technical ability.
To remain in contention, Mokokchung must defeat Meluri by at least 10 goals without conceding and hope that Tuensang beat Wokha. A draw between Wokha and Tuensang would eliminate Mokokchung, regardless of the hosts’ result against Meluri. However, if Wokha lose to Tuensang, Mokokchung and Wokha would both finish with four points, bringing goal difference into play. A 10-goal win over Meluri would improve Mokokchung’s goal difference to +9, surpassing Wokha’s current +8 and potentially sending the hosts through. Anything less would see Mokokchung eliminated at the group stage.
Meluri, meanwhile, have become the first team to be eliminated. They have lost 0-9 to Tuensang and 0-8 to Wokha without scoring, and even a win over Mokokchung would leave them with only three points, below Tuensang’s six and Wokha’s four.
After today’s results, Tuensang has qualified for the quarterfinals, while Meluri has been eliminated from the competition. Although Mokokchung still has a mathematical chance of advancing to the next round, the task appears daunting. Wokha, meanwhile, needs only a draw against Tuensang to secure a quarterfinal berth.
The final Group C fixtures will therefore be crucial. Mokokchung must chase a record-breaking win, while Meluri will look to restore some pride. The meeting between Tuensang, champions of the 2024 edition, and Wokha will also be closely watched, with Tuensang aiming to maintain a perfect record and Wokha needing at least a point to secure a quarter-final place.
17 October Fixtures
8 AM – Kohima vs Longleng
10.30 AM – Tseminyu vs Shamator
4 PM – Phek vs Chümoukedima
6.30 PM – Niuland vs Peren