Dr. T Ao Trophy. DAY 2 – ‘Home ground advantage’ spare Mokokchung the blushes

Yhome scores with an assist from supersonic Rutsa
Kohima 1: 0 Mokokchung

Home team Mokokchung were humbled by Kohima on their Group D encounter on Wednesday playing in a waterlogged mud ground. It was the last game on the second day of Dr. T. Ao Trophy 2022 but was one of the most anticipated matches. The two teams, as expected, displayed some classy football laced with many nail-biting moments to entertain the full-packed galleries of Imkongmeren Sports Complex. The match also drew 6k+ viewers online on SportsCast India YouTube channel.

Mokokchung looked sharp and tight in the first half, confident and aggressive in their attack with a 4-4-2 fashion while a sturdy Kohima in a similar 4-4-2 formation defended well and placed their trust in their runners on the flank and counter attacks. And yes, they almost delivered!

Kohima showcased one of the finest strikers in the tournament so far with Menguzelie Rutsa absolutely stealing the show while giving the back four of Mokokchung a hard time to breathe. The Rutsa-Yhome duo was not only aggressive in their attack but none could match their speed.

It was with Rutsa’s assist that Vilhoubeltuo Yhome struck home the winning goal into the net from inside the d-box in the 57th minute. The second half belonged to Kohima and it was the waterlogged playground that in a way assisted the home team from conceding more goals as their defense found it hard to contain the speeding strikers of Kohima.

Mokokchung strived hard on carrying the ball forward with Temsunungsang and Osen as the key play makers but failed to convert it into a favourable result. At times, it looked like Mokokchung was playing without a genuine striker.

Kohima, in the second half, came back with a stronger attack and took advantage of Mokokchung’s loose defense with Sentilong being substituted very early in the game from an injury.
At the end of the day, it was a game that kept adrenaline rushing as the home crowd cheered for their team.

Debutants Shamator and Longleng settle for a goalless draw

A game of long-ball forwards
Shamator 0: 0 Longleng

The debutants Shamator met with Longleng in the second match of the second day. Longleng with a 4-3-3 formation and Shamator with 4-3-2-1 resulted in a goalless draw with both sides lacking to display good football. The game consisted mostly of long-ball forwards and tons of incomplete passes and both failed to entertain the spectators through crafty playmaking or good runs.

Shamator had one of the best chances in the 71+3 minute when Tori T. Yimchung made a decent run inside the d-box from the left flank of the pitch but failed to deliver a decent cross into the box. Longleng, even though they picked up their tempo and played better football, their finishing was just left undone.

The game also witnessed a short scuffle between the players but was quickly dispersed by the referee.

A humiliating defeat for debutants Noklak; Peren maintains clean sheet

Khiuwangbo Kaurintah takes center stage in the game
Kenumdi, Poireng, Ringdi, Zumzum scores
Peren 5: 0 Noklak

In what turned out to be a one-sided match in favor of Peren, the debutants Noklak succumbed to defeat as they struggled with poor defense and a shaky forward with no strength in the center. Noklak desperately needed a playmaker to break through the midfield put up by Peren.

On the other hand, Peren was in total domination of the game. The stalemate was broken just 2 minutes into the game by Kenumdi Siarau followed by another goal by Ratobe Poireng in the 7th minute, taking away every possibility of a comeback from the Noklak side.

The match was all but over when Winamthiu Ringi scored in the 19th minute. In the second half, in the 45th minute, Zumzum Punyii scored by slicing the poor defense and Ratobe Poireng got his brace in the 56th minute leaving behind a devastated Noklak team.

However, the game showed the playmaking skills of Khiuwangbo as he took the center stage in creating chances after chances even as a nervous Noklak defense struggled to mark him.
The Noklak team have a lot of homework to do on their incomplete passes and must strive harder in shooting on target and converting chances into goals.

Debutants Tseminyu dismantle Zunheboto as Yhunshalo Kemp shine

Goal Scoring Machine Kemp strikes 5 goals; secures first hattrick of the tournament
Tseminyu 6: 0 Zunheboto 

In one of the most exciting matches the tournament has so far seen, under the pouring rain in a mud-spattered ground, debutants Tseminyu dismantled a poorly set defensive Zunheboto.
The game that began with much enthusiasm for Zunheboto in a 4-2-3-1 formation messed up as the drought for goal ended in just 6 minutes into the game by Ntsenlo Semp from a corner kick delivered by Nyithong Magh.

As Zunheboto forwards struggled to get pass through the Tseminyu central-mid who began with the formation 4-5-1, Yhunshalo Kemp stunned the people once again with his brilliance.
The goal scoring machine, Kemp struck his first goal in the 18th minute and later went on to score at 20th, 35th, 39th and the 50th minutes.

Tseminyu dominated the game by and large in possession, exhibiting absolute beautiful football.

Zunheboto, despite having their strong point in dribbling, failed to press the opponent and faltered to make any long-range shots which could have threatened the Tseminyu team who were comfortably playing wide.

In the end, Tseminyu is a spectacular team and could be a potential contender for the title.

MTNews