Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 10:
MPSC advanced into the last eight round of the 50th CC Meet football tournament after a 2-0 victory against a spirited AMOFA, Moirang while TRUGPU, Nambol topped Group F following a 1-1 draw with USA, Khurai at Mapal Kangjeibung today.
MPSC and TRUGPU joined NISA, ESU and NEROCA in the quarter final.
The Moirang gave the Police team some scary moments in the crucial Group E tie but failed to convert their territorial supremacy into goals as MPSC relied on their experience and swift counter-attacks to surprise their opponent with a goal in each half.
Having thrashed Citizens' Club, Soibam Leikai 13-1 in its campaign opener, MPSC were slow to get off the block in the must win match which began with AMOFA controlling the game and came close to scoring several times before a defensive error nearly cost the Moirang side dearly as the referee penalised S Rocky Kom for infringing upon Kh Sanaton inside the restricted zone.
But, the resultant penalty in the 36th minute was missed by Kh Romen.
I Nillakumar, however, rescued his team-mate scoring the former champions' first goal off a Deshkumar essay two minutes later.
Nillakumar was again in the centre of action feeding Deshkumar near the rival goal and the latter finding Kh Romen who slotted home the winner in the 70th min.
The otherwise pulsating game was marred by three yellow card bookings with MPSC players cautioned twice.
In the TRUGPU versus USA clash, in which the referee flashed the yellow card on four occasion, the latter's O Pritam broke the stalemate in the 72nd minute off an S Shanta cross while the Nambol outfit equalised through Kh Naoton in added period.
TRUGPU reached the quarter finals on better goal difference having won 5-0 against IMROSCA compared to USA's 3-0 win over the group's third team.