Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 11 2008:
NEROCA, Shangakpham won the battle of former champions with a crushing 4-1 defeat of MPSC in the opening quarter final round match of the 52nd Sir Churachand Singh KCSI CBE Memorial Football Tournament at Mapal Kangjeibung today.
The group S quarter final league match between the 2000 champion NEROCA and five times winner MPSC began with Ksh Malemnganba curling in the former's opener 24 minutes into the game off a free kick.
The goal is Malemnganba's ninth of the competition and one behind the leading scorer L Tiken of SSU.
However, H Chakravarti was the cynosure of the comparatively well attended match finding the back of the police net thrice within a span of nine minutes which included a glancing header in the 52nd minute, firing in his second off an L Nabachandra cross from the left seven minutes later and punishing a sloppy collection by the police custodian to complete the hattrick in the 61st.veteran police striker I Nilakumar reduced the score deficit in the 80th minute.
Four MPSC players were also booked for unsporting conducts in the match thereby attracting possible monetary penalties as tournament rule prohibits four or more yellow card to players of the same side in a particular match.
Defending champion NISA are the other team in the group.
Tomorrow's match at 130 pm will be between Sagolband United and Assam Rifles Soccer, Lokra (assam).