1st ASSA State level 7-a-side open football meet: SYDA-K, SDAU script narrow wins
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 04 2014:
Fortunes swug from one side to the other in the match between SYDA-K, Kshetri and SYDA-A in the 1st ASSA State Level 7-a-side Football Tournament today, with the former emerging the winner by a margin of 3 goals to 2 in an exciting match.
With both teams taking to the field in an attacking format, the goals flowed with SYDA-K Kshetri opening its account as early as the 7th minute of the match.
The first goal was a result of some fine passing between the players of SYDA-K and Wahas who was lurking near the goal mouth of SYDA-A pounced onto the ball and made no mistake in slotting it home.
Stung by the early goal, SYDA-A Athokpam put more men in the attack and mounted a series of attacks.
This approach proved positive as Punamkumar managed to restore parity barely one minute after the first goal and bring his back into the match.
Encouraged by the early equaliser, SYDA-A Athokpam went on the offensive and they started raiding the territory of SYDA-K Kshetri continuously.
With the defence of SYDA-K Kshetri stretched to the limit Rabichandra managed to breach the defence of SYDA to bang home the ball in the 16th minute and help his team take the lead.
The reversal however did not dampen the spirit of SYDA-K as they re-organised their approach to the game and played with more purpose and energy.
After a series of meaningful moves Azmir rose to the occasion to net the ball in the 18th minute and help his team to come back strongly into the match.
Thereafter the two teams concentrated on keeping their slate clean not giving each an inch.
It was against the run of play that Aziz of SYDA-K found the net in the 36th minute which ultimately proved to be the deciding goal.
The second match of the day was no less exciting as SDAU, Tekcham downed a fighting ASSA, Sangaiyumpham by a margin of 2 goals to one.
SDAU went into the lead in the 6th minute thanks to a breathe taking goal from Commando.
This was followed by another goal from Fernando in the 20th minute.
Unfazed by the two goals deficit, ASSA Sangaiyumpham played with purpose and managed to pull one back in the 35th minute through Thangja in the 35th minute, but by then it was too late and too little.