16th Challenge Cup Veteran Football Tournament: IEVFA Salanthong, FC Imphal register wins
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 04 2014:
Two competitive matches marked the day of the 16th Challenge Cup Veteran Football Tournament underway at Mapal Kangjeigung today.
While IEVFA, Salanthong overcame a fighting KVFA Khurai by a first half solitary goal in the first match of the day, FC Imphal downed a spirited MUSA Kakching by two goals to nil.
Wary of each other the first match started off on a cautious note, with neither team really going out for the kill and instead relying on keeping their citadel intact.
With neither team dominating the proceedings of the match, play was mostly confined in the midfield, with the defence line of either side living up to the occasion of keeping the ball at bay.
It was however the opportunism of IEVFA, Salanthong that ultimately decided the fate of the match in their favour.
The all important goal came in the 33rd minute after a one to one between T Ranjan and Novelson.
Receiving the ball at the midfield, T Ranjan made a fine run down the flank and after exchanging the ball a couple of times between themselves took it into the penalty box of the Khurai team.
Ranjan then managed to shake off his markers and created enough space for himself to release a defence splitting pass to Novelson who was lurking near the goal mouth.
Novelson did well in controlling the ball and after some deft footwork let go a volley that caught the custodian of KVFA Khurai rooted to the ground.
Stung by the reversal, the team from Khurai put more purpose in their game and went all out to find the equaliser.
However the defenders of IEVFA rose to the occasion and managed to neutralise all attacking moves launched by the Khurai team.
Lemon break was taken with IEVFA Salanthong leading by one goal to nil.
After the lemon break, KVFA Khurai changed their approach to the match and opted for a more attacking format.
Making good use of both the flanks they managed to raid the territory of IEVFA a number of times, but the goal remained elusive.
On the other IEVFA, Salanthong relied on swift counter attacks, which always kept the defence line of Khurai on their toes.
The reliance on counter attacks, proved to be a mater strategy as the KVFA players could not really go all out to find the equaliser as they had to leave at least two men at the back to man the defence and prevent the players from IEVFA from scoring another goal.
Evenly matched, both in terms of skills and team work, it was however the opportunism of IEVFA that carried them through with a solitary first half goal.
The second match too proved to be an exciting fare and though the scoreline of 2-0 looked impressive, the match was not completely dominated by the players from FC Imphal against MUSA Kakching.
The two teams took to the field in a positive frame of mind and adopted an attacking format.
It was against the run of play that FC Imphal opened its account in the 15th minute of the match.
Dispossessing the ball from the MUSA players, Th Krishna of FC Imphal went off on a splendid solo run down the mid field and after outpacing a couple of defenders passed the ball to an unmarked M Ningthouremba near the goal mouth of MUSA.
With no one to challenge him from a good distance, Ningthouremba had the time to take a well directed a shot that sent the custodian of MUSA the wrong way.
Buoyed by the early goal, FC Imphal went on the attack and they started dictating the course of the match, making frequent inroads.
The defence of MUSA Kakching did well to keep the ball in check and not allow FC Imphal to have another good look at the ball.
Taking control of the mid field, the players of FC Imphal used both the flanks stretching the defence of MUSA to its limit.
Th Krishna was at it again in the 27th minute, when he received the ball well inside the territory of MUSA.
After catching the defence of MUSA on the wrong foot, he let go a pass to Gaiphulung well inside the penalty box of MUSA.
Gaiphulung deftly controlled the ball and did not face much challenge in finding the net and help his team take a two goal lead well before the lemon break.
After the break, the players from Kakching put more purpose in their game and they launched a series of attacks from either side of the flank, but the absence of a good finisher was sorely felt.
Joy Singh of FC was cautioned in the 40th minute.
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