Tingyek’s equalizer for Mon deny Tuensang a fine win
Mon 1: 1 Tuensang
A throw in. A long ball. Goal. Three moves and Tuensang were off the mark in the 6th minute against Mon in the first match of Day-3. From outside the d-box, Beshang’s beautiful volley lobbed over advancing Mon custodian Eshong Konyak’s head found the back of the net. Longshe assisted it through a long-ball from the central right midfield and the game looked set for Tuensang.
But in the 45th minute, Tingyek found the equalizer for Mon which came through a free kick from 40 yards. Tuensang goalie Tiarenba made the sloppiest blunder of his career to let the ball in after having it under control in his hands.
The clash between the two leaders of group B had most people excited but ended up a little less thrilling than expected.
The game was fast-paced with random long-balls, both teams having a 4-3-3 formation which resulted into a major disadvantage for Tuensang as players failed to play their role as needed and lost control of the game.
Tuensang struggled to control the ball in their possession while Mon struggled to outrun the mid-fielders.
Pule of Tuensang made a decent run but failed to find someone as equally paced as him in the team. Meanwhile, Longkhoi, who was one of the key players in the previous match, did not have his best game today.
Mon, on the other hand, despite looking more comfortable in terms of passes and a much steadier team struggled to supply any good ball to the forwards, who equally did not have the best match today.
But at the end of the day, both teams now stand with 4 points each and chances of making it to the next round remain wide open.
Niuland comes back with a bang!
Kitho score a brace; Mughapu and Devika join the party
Kiphire first confirmed team to be eliminated
Niuland 4: 0 Kiphire
A lackluster Kiphire showed no signs of improvement from their previous loss against Tuensang as Niuland dominated and thrashed them by and large.
In what could have been the most devastating 70 minutes for Kiphire, Niuland shined their brightest, redeeming them from the humiliating Mon defeat during their last outing.
Niuland proved why they deserved a second chance as they started the game with gusto, pressing the backline of Kiphire ruthlessly from the word go. Niuland’s Mughapu broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute with an assist from Kito Aye.
In the second half, Kitho Kiho scored a brace back to back in the 45th and the 47th minutes, with assists from Inos Aye and Aben Assumi. Devika then scored the final goal in the 64th minute from an assist by Mughapu who had a terrific game today.
Niuland, however, desperately need to play better and improve on their finishes as they next face a formidable Tuensang who only need a draw to qualify for the quarter finals.
Kiphire, who have so far conceded 8 goals in 2 games, became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. Looking for a win or a draw as consolation from their next game against Mon seem to be too much of an asking as Mon will be looking for as many goals as they can find to book their QF berth.
Lucky Phek hang on by a thread
Chumoukedima fail to break the last minute jinx
Chumoukedima 1: 1 Phek
Defending champions Phek might just be the luckiest team of this tournament or that, Chumoukedima has been seriously jinxed!
The last minute blunder for Chumou has followed yet again even in the second match after their first blunder with Wokha.
The third match of Day 3 of Dr T. Ao Trophy witnessed the two strong contenders in the ‘group of death’ – debutants Chumoukedima and defending champions Phek lock horns which saw a goalless draw until the second half.
In the first half, Phek dominated possession, played better football with Khrukhoto Resu displaying some decent clearance at some crucial moments. However, Phek struggled in taking the ball beyond the strong defense put up by the Chumou team leaving the Phek forwards drought of the ball.
The second half saw a more offensive Chumou side that threatened and pressed against the defending champions, and delivering some nail-biting crosses and deliveries but nothing came out of it.
The Chumou side, however, continued pressing on and broke the deadlock with Paul finding the back of the net from inside the d-box in the 42nd minute converting a corner kick.
70 minutes into the game and the defending champions looked like they were going home after the long whistle but in the 70’+5 minute of injury time, a stunning header out of nowhere by Mutuzo Dzudo netted the goal converting a corner kick delivered by Yitachu Thupitor, giving another chance for the defending champions to remain in their title defense campaign.
This brought back smiles to the Phek fans and a devastating ending for Chumoukedima who has yet to get their 3 points. So far, both teams stand with 1 point each on the table.
Brilliant Dimapur bags all 3 points against Wokha
Pursunep-Kakhevi-Kivi trio seal QF berth for Dimapur
Dimapur 2: 0 Wokha
In yet another thrilling match between Dimapur and Wokha, Kakhevi Assumi-Kivi Zhimomi – Pursunep Longkumer trio showed what it’s like to have well coordination between forwards and mid. The trio stole the show with Assumi having his moment of brilliance in the second half.
An offensive Dimapur, in the first 35 minutes, struggled to penetrate into an impressive build-up in the back by Wokha- considered to have one of the strongest defenses in the tourney. Dimapur kept pressing deep into the Wokha back line aggressively but yielded no positive results.
However, the second half of the game took a major shift when Pursunep Longkumer, who replaced Hivi Kiba, sliced the defense and scored a stunning goal from within the d-box for Dimapur in the 36th minute.
With Dimapur up one goal, the defensive Wokha now had to play offensive and this created an opportunity for the Dimapur forwards to display their counter attack.
Kakhevi Assumi then hammered in the second goal of the match in the 60th minute. A moment of brilliance in the game was a slick back-flick by Kakhevi as he continued to trouble the Wokha defenders. All said and done, it was in a comprehensive win for Dimapur at last.
With today’s win, Dimapur became the first team to book their Quarter final berth with 2 wins in as many games, sitting comfortably with 6 points on the table.