Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 02:
NEROCA, Laipham Khunou crushed ESU, Wangkhei 7-0 to storm into the final of the 3rd Sarajeevan Tiddim Trophy invitation football tournament being played at Khuman Lampak Main stadium.
Th Dhiren completed a hattrick in the process.
The Laipham Khunou side outplaying their first semi final opponent in all department of the game scored at regular interval to record the highest victory margin of the tournament competed by six teams in the league phase.
After M Robin opened the NEROCA score with a precisely placed free kick from the top of the ESU box in the 21st minute any hope the Wangkhei side harboured for a comeback suffered a minor setback as two players were booked in quick succession near the half-hour mark.
With ESU players resorting to cautious play to avoid expulsion NEROCA in contrast showed no sign of slowing down the pace of the game and lay siege at the opponent goal before increasing the lead through a 43rd minute strike from Kh Romesh.
The half-time break provided no respite to ESU from the NEROCA onslaught who extended the lead to 3-1 in the 57th minute off Romesh's second goal of the match.
After Manimohan made the scoreline to an unassailable 4-0, Dhiren hogged the limelight thereafter scoring three within a span of eight minutes including the seventh goal struck in the last minute of normal time.
Y Hemanta, Y Dwijamani and Th Surjit of ESU were cautioned for infringements in the match.