51st Sir Churachand Football

NISA in CC Meet semi-finals; MPSC rout NP:

Imphal, Dec 2: NISA (Thangmeiband) became the first team to advance into the semi -finals of the 51st Sir Churachand Singh KCSI CBE Memorial Football Tournament after scripting a hard fought 3-2 victory over ESU (Wangkhei) at Mapal Kangjeibung on Sunday.

While the Thangmeiband side produced their best performance so far in the prestigious competition after a lapse of nearly 13 years, MPSC won a battle between two police sides when they sent home Nagaland Police with a 4-0 thrashing in another quarter-final league tie this afternoon.

NISA's previous record was a final entry in 1994. NISA's remarkable resurgence in the current edition of the tournament nearly met its nemesis in the form of the Wangkhei side who literally fought till the end before O Pritam triggered joyous scenes with a 90th minute winner off a Ch Dhanakumar pass.

ESU, who had also lost the first match by a solitary in the double leg competition between the two, showed glimpses of its champion stuff when Th Pravinkumar scored four minutes into the game.

The lead, however, lasted only three minutes as Charan Rai restored parity and struck his and NISA's second in the 10th minute.

Sensing victory, NISA supporters had even begun to celebrate but were brought down to earth with a thud after Reagan Kom equalised for ESU three minutes from end of normal time before Pritam sounded the former finalists' arrival to the top level of football competition.

The otherwise exciting contest was marred by five bookings including three ESU players.

While the NISA versus ESU clash had all the elements of an edge of the seat thriller, MPSC was clearly the dominant side in the day's first match against Nagaland Police even though the breakthrough came near the half-time whistle.

For MPSC, veteran striker I Nillakumar scored thrice (43rd, 56th, 86th) in addition to setting up Ksh Kanta for the team's third in the 73rd. MPSC will play YWC, Thambalkhong to decide who advance into the semi-final from Group P.

YWC has three points as it had defeated NP 2-0.

Source: The Sangai Express