Imphal, January 21: Eastern Sporting Union (ESU), Wangkhei edged past Young Physique Union (YPhU), Lalambung 3-2 in a pulsating tie at the 1st Tiddim Trophy Invitation Football Tournament organized to commemorate golden jubilee of TRAU.

With memories of its 0-1 loss to ESU in the recently concluded CC Meet still fresh, the Lalambung side began cautiously in the group Y clash today at Mapal Kangjeibung mainly relying on counter attacks through the flanks before eventually fizzling out against their more experienced opponent to face defeat.

Catching the ESU defence napping in the initial minutes, YPhU strike duo of S Herojit and L Dhanachandra probed into the opponent danger zone with N Olenkumar doing the spadework from the centre.

However, the strikers failed to capitalize on the half chances as ESU steadily re-grouped and dominated the remaining session after M Somochandra drew first blood in the 12th minute after the opponent custodian H Devan fumbled in collecting S Rohendro's powerful drive two yards from the penalty box.

Even though YPhU managed to restore parity in the 32nd minute through Olenkumar, ESU took the break 2-1 when K Ashok's free kick squeezed through the YPhU defence wall barely a minute from the half-time whistle.

YPhU suffered further misery in the second half as M Somochandra slammed home a K Premjit minus in the 52nd minute.

Never letting its spirit down, YPhU repeatedly found access to the ESU territory but poor finishing prolonged the Wangkhei side's 3-1 lead before M Bimolchandra's well executed free kick from the top swerved through the ESU wall to narrow the loss margin in the 78th minute.

NEROCA and USA will play tomorrow at 1.30 pm.

Veteran football: All Thangmeiband veteran Football Association (ATVFA) and Football Veteran Welfare Association (FVWA) played out a one all draw in the opening match of the second THAU Veteran Football Championship 2004 at THAU ground, Thangmeiband today.

FVWA's Aken scored the opening goal in the 39th minute as ATVFA equalized through Roshini in the 62nd.The opening programme of the championship organized to mark the golden jubilee celebration of THAU was held with Youth Affairs and Sports (YAS) Director-in-Charge S Budhachandra, president of Imphal West District Football Association Dharmo and Celebration Committee chairman N Ibomcha as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Ashem Noren football tournament: Highway Star Union (Hisu), Thoubal blanked All Moirang Football Association (Amofa) 2-0 in today's opening match of the inaugural Ashem Noren Memorial Invitation Football Tournament organized by Keinou Library and Sports Association (KLASA) at Keinou Kangjeibung under the aegis of AMFA.

After a goalless encounter in both session of the match, K Premjit and R Raman Kom scored the goals during added period.

The first resulted from a flag kick and the second from a throw-in.

Comment