Jr Boys' NFC: Manipur sweep past Gujarat into Tier 2 semifinals
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 30 2023:
Thuinganing Awungshi scored twice as Manipur swept past Gujarat 6-0 into the Tier 2 semifinals of the Junior Boys' National Football Championship for Dr BC Roy Trophy 2023-24 at Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday.
The state boys made a clean sweep of all their four matches in the group stage and emerged Group A winners on their way to the last four.
They started their last group match with a bang, taking just nine minutes to take the lead.
It was Thangjam Majaibungo Singh who opened the scoring and then Thuinganing Awungshi doubled the advantage three minutes before the halftime whistle.
After the break, Manipur upped the ante as clueless Gujarat, who had not managed an attack of note in the first period, looked a complete shambles.
Konsam Genius set the tone for a second-half four-goal barrage with a 49th-minute goal, tripling Manipur's lead.
Then Laishram Suraj Singh made it 4-0 in the 54th minute as Thuinganing Awungshi was on target in the 90th minute for his second and team's fifth goal before Ngangom Dhakeshwor Singh's stoppage-time goal wrapped up the victory.
Having registered four wins from their four games in their group stage campaign, Manipur ended their remarkable Group A campaign with 12 points, sitting eight points above second-placed Gujarat at the top of the group.
In the semifinals on October 6, Manipur will square off against Delhi while Chandigarh play Arunachal Pradesh.
The final match will take place on October 8 .