Manipur continues winning streak in Santosh Trophy, overpowers Nagaland 6-2

Noida, 12 October (MTNews): Manipur clinched their third consecutive victory in the 77th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2023-24, overpowering Nagaland with a resounding 6-2 win during the Group C league match held at the Vijay Singh Pathak Stadium in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. This was Nagaland’s first defeat in three games after winning their previous two matches.

The turning point of the game came in the 23rd minute when Manipur’s captain, Th Chingkheinganba, expertly converted a penalty kick, setting the tone for their dominance. Just five minutes later, the excitement escalated as W Sadananda executed an audacious bicycle kick, leaving Nagaland’s goalkeeper, Homuka, with little chance.

However, Nagaland showed their resilience, capitalizing on a lapse in Manipur’s defense, with midfielder Kevisanyü Peseyie finding the back of the net in the 31st minute. The fierce competition continued, with W Sadananda notching his second goal in the 44th minute.

Nagaland managed to reduce the deficit by converting a penalty in injury time of first half, courtesy of Kevisanyu Peseyie, bringing the score to 3-2.

In the second half, Manipur extended their lead with Ph. Sanathoi scoring in the 62nd and 71st minutes. To seal the well-deserved victory, Manipur’s substitute midfielder, L Bishal Singh, struck in the dying moments of the match (90+4 minute).

It is worth noting that Manipur played with 10 players after Ng Jenish received a red card for a double caution in the 52nd minute. Yellow cards were also shown to Manipur players Ph Sanathoi, L Shankar, and Nagaland players Sanyem Konyak, Menoneikho Nakhro, and Sinenlo Kath.

In their next match, Manipur will face Madhya Pradesh on October 15 at the Bennett University Ground at 8 am. Nagaland’s next match is against Uttar Pradesh t on Sunday, 15 October at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. Both Nagaland and UP are on 6 points each on the table with Nagaland slightly ahead on goal aggregate.

‘Defeat has only fueled our hunger for success’

Meanwhile, Nagaland defender Lironthung Lotha has said that despite their 6-2 loss to Manipur, his team remains resolute and determined to improve in the upcoming matches. He said, “We will learn from our mistakes and strive to give our best effort in each game. The defeat has only fueled our hunger for success, motivating us to bounce back stronger and rise to the challenges that lie ahead. We believe in our potential and will relentlessly work towards achieving better results in the future.”