22nd Winners Cup : NCC, RAU make their way to last four
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 06 2017: NCC, Khonghampat and RAU, Lairikyengbam Leikai beat their rivals in today’s matches staged at Khuman Lampak Artificial Turf Ground to sail into the semi-finals of the 22nd Winners Cup .

The tournament is organised by All Manipur Football Association and four teams out of the eleven best teams, RAU, Lairikyengbam Leikai (IE), UKB, Churachandpur, AFC, Thoubal, NNC, Khon-ghampat (IE) will be making their way to the finals through the semi-final legs .

The second quarter final leg hosted by ZFC, Tamenglong at Artificial turf ground against NCC resulted in the same fate as in the first leg.

ZFC which conceded a 1-4 loss in the first leg again went down to NCC 2-3.Ng Naocha scored a brace while N Herojit scored one to give NCC the entry to the semi-final .

Ng Herojit of NCC drew the first blood in the 25th minute to take the lead.

Stung by the goal ZFC also started their offensive raids while keeping their fortress intact.

Soon ZFC managed to score the leveller in the 40th minute making the scoreline line 1-1 at the first half .

Both teams entered the second half with more purpose and opening up their game to keep the respective defence lines on their toes.

With time ticking away Gangampou of ZFC rose to the occasion to break the deadlock in the 72nd minute to hand his team a 2-1 lead .

NCC also worked constantly trying to restore parity and were successful in the 78th minute when Naocha made a fine run deep into the ZFC’s territory and fired in a clinical shot to bring the level the score at 2-2 .

It was an easy moment for NCC as the draw as enough for them to enter the semis but that did not stop Ng Naocha from unleashing a power packed shot past the custodian in the late 88th minute to seal the match 3-2 .

In another encounter RAU thrashed KPSC Kakching 4-1 at its home ground, Artificial Turf Ground.

RAU which defeated KPSC 2-1 in the latter’s homeground did not face much of a problem.

Both halves were dominated by RAU with two goals in each half .

Lungoulen Khongsai took the honour to score the opener in the 6th minute which was followed Y Jiteshor in the next minute to hand RAU a 2-0 lead .

KPSC tried their best and it was H Shital who found the net in the 38th minute to make the scoreline 2-1in the first half .

After the breather Khan-gnam Horam and H Sailesh of RAU took their turns to pump in two more goals in the 63rd and 82nd minute to help RAU register a thumping 4-1 win over KPSC, Kakching.

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