51st Sir Churachand Football

NISA nail Manipur Police, enter CC Meet final:

Imphal, Dec 6: Resurgent Thangmeiband side NISA's sojourn in the ongoing 51st Sir Churachand Singh KCSI CBE Memorial Football Tournament continues as the former finalists stunned the competition's multiple time winners Manipur Police Sports Club (MPSC) after an absorbing 5-4 win via the tie-breaker here on Thursday.

In the first semi-final played at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, NISA, whose maiden entry to the final was in 1969 and repeated the feat again in 1994, were the better side of the day particularly after the lemon break.

With normal time ending in a 1-1 draw, penalty shoot-out was applied to decide the winner wherein NISA ultimately emerged victors when S Manimohan, M Abhiraj, W Ngamba and K Ajitkumar scored from the spot while Charan Rai shot wide.

For the police side, N Maimu, I Nilakumar and Ng Jenendra were successful as O Somorendro and Duanmei Kamson's shots ballooned over the crosspiece.

Another Story:

Earlier in the match, NISA set the tempo when M Abhiraj curled in from about 20 yards only three minutes into the game.

The match official awarded the free kick after MPSC's K Premkumar handled the ball in trying to defend a Charan Rai salvo.

The police side also responded in similar fashion as Abhiraj was ruled to have handled the ball in checking Nilakumar at the edge of the penalty box in the 19th minute.

The resultant free kick executed by Ksh Kanta left the NISA custodian gaping.

With no change in the scoresheet in the opening session which was marked by scrappy display from the first semi-finalists, the second half began with both sides looking for goals that never were to be.

The match was marred by numerous stoppages with the medical team being the busiest of all even as three MPSC players were yellow carded for unsporting conduct.

Even though NISA was the dominant side after the change of ends, lack of cohesion among their frontline players wasted some good scoring chances provided by the schemers.

For MPSC, their lethal striker I Nilakumar, who is the joint top scorer along with AMOFA's Th Joychandra on six each, was ineffective as NISA's wily Kh Ratan shadowed the police striker throughout the match.

MPSC, apart from lifting the coveted trophy four times, including a joint winner, had entered the summit round for a record nine times.

In the final scheduled to be played on December 9, NISA will face the winner of tomorrow's (Friday) second semi-final between AMOFA, Moirang, and SSU, Singjamei.

For the record, reigning champions SSU had won the title on four occasions in six entries to the final.

AMOFA are yet to reach the final.

Source: The Sangai Express