On day seven of the ongoing Mokokchung District Football Association (MDFA) Trophy 2023, Moanungsang MSC secured their spot in the quarterfinals with a crucial victory against Brotherhood FC, while Arka United lost to NU Lumami in a closely contested match.
In the first match of the day, Moanungsang showcased their prowess, clinching a decisive 4-1 win over Brotherhood FC. Rongsenchiba opened the scoring for Moanungsang in the 9th minute, followed by a second goal in the 14th minute, securing his brace. Tarepnungsang pulled one back for Brotherhood by scoring in the 32nd minute, resulting in a 2-1 scoreline at the end of the first half.
In the second half, the Moanungsang team displayed a determined spirit, with Jungshiwati finding the back of the net in the 79th minute, doubling their lead. Molusupong added another goal in the 89th minute, securing Moanungsang’s second consecutive win in the three-team Pool A group and a quarterfinal berth. Brotherhood advances to the quarterfinals despite today’s loss as second-place winners from Pool A.
The day’s second match featured a tightly contested encounter between Arka United and NU Lumami. In the end, Arka United faced elimination from Pool B after suffering their second consecutive loss in the league matches with a final score of 2-3. This result made NU Lumami and Telongjem FC the clear qualifiers from Pool B. The two teams meet on 26 October, the outcome of which will determine the winners of Pool B.
Arka United started the match strongly, taking the lead with an early goal in the 3rd minute, courtesy of Putimeren. However, NU Lumami made a comeback after half an hour, equalizing with a goal from Wangtin Konyak in the 34th minute. M Phaowang then found the net in the 49th minute, reversing the lead in favor of NU Lumami. Arka United showed resilience, earning an equalizer as Chubawati scored in the 57th minute.
As the match drew near its conclusion with the scores level, M Phaowang struck again, securing a crucial goal in the 86th minute. Arka United couldn’t find the opportunity to equalize in the last few minutes, resulting in a significant loss for the team.
During the match, three players received yellow cards, all of which were from the NU side.