57th CC Meet TRAU down BSF (MNCF) by 2 goals to enter quarter finals
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 30 2013: Tiddim Road Athletics Union (TRAU) booked a quarter final berth downing BSF (Manipur, Nagaland, Cachar Frontier) by 2 goals to nil in the ongoing 57th CC Meet Football Tournament at Mapal Kangeibung today.

With both the teams opting for the 4-4-2 formation, the intentions of the two teams were clear, that is playing attacking football, with two strikers up front.

The first half was evenly matched, with both teams more or less having the same percentage of ball possession and unable to make any dangerous moves.

Wary of the height advantage enjoyed by the BSF players, TRAU relied on short, ground passing, abandoning long aerial passes.

TRAU managed to break the deadlock in the 35th minute, after a fantastic effort from Surchand who dribbled the ball about ten yards into the side of the BSF side and found Th Premkumar on top of the penalty box.

Neatly controlling the ball and after sidestepping a couple of BSF defenders, Th Premkumar managed to find the net, beating the BSF goalkeeper hands down with a powerful shot.

Stung by the goal, BSF went on the offensive and raided the citadel of TRAU from time to time, but with no tangible results.

At the fag end of the first half, BSF had a golden opportunity to neutralise the one goal deficit, but TRAU's custodian Ch Kumar rose to the occasion to effect a good save.

The move came off a good one to one between N Henry and Th Inaotomba, who between themselves managed to take the ball into the danger area of TRAU.

After beating a couple of TRAU defenders with their crisp passings, Inaotomba unleashed a powerful shot only to see the TRAU goalkeeper effecting a good save.

The break was taken with TRAU leading by one goal to nil.

After the break, TRAU did not rest on its one goal lead but instead went on the offensive catching the BSF defenders on the wrong foot a number of times.

Though the BSF defenders stood firm and did not give the needed space to the TRAU midfielders and strikers, the Tiddim road side added another goal in the 57th minute to seal the fate of the match.

The second goal came after L Bikram managed to break through the left flank and crossed the ball to Th Premkumar on top of the penalty area.

Th Premkumar, however did not take the shot, and instead made a back pass to an unmarked Surchand.

With enough space and after neatly controlling the ball, Surchand let loose a long and powerful shot that left the defenders and goalkeeper of the BSF side rooted to their spot.

All efforts by the BSF players to find the net by resorting to swift counter attacks went in vain as TRAU tightened its defence line and kept the BSF strikers and mid-fielders under sharp checks.

The BSF players failed to get a good shot at the goal of TRAU.

N Momocha of TRAU was yellow carded in the 30th minute for a foul committed against N Henry of BSF in the 30th minute while N Rajesh of BSF was also shown the yellow card for intentionally handling the ball in the 45th minute.

On January 2, SSU, Singjamei will take on AIM, Khabam in the last pre-quarters match of the tournament.

Comment