7th Ksh Nonigopal Memorial football : SYSA, Manipur Police SC, XI Star SU and TRUGPU make it to last four
Source: The Sangai Express

Jiribam, February 28 2019: XI Star SC thrashed Mongoloid FC 7-3 in the last quarterfinal of the 7th Ksh Nonigopal Memorial Invitation Football Tournament, 2018-19 organized by All Jiribam Sports Association (AJSA), Jiribam at Jiribam Higher Secondary School ground today.

A total of 12 teams took part in the tournament.

With this win, XI Star SC made a cut in the last four joining other three semifinalists team - SYSA, Tamenglong, Manipur Police SC, Imphal West and TRUGPU.

The 1st semifinal will be played between SYSA, Tamenglong and Manipur Police SC, Imphal West tomorrow while XI Star SU will square off with TRUGPU in the 2nd Semi final match on March 2.The winner of the semifinals will battle it out for the championship title on March 4.In today's match, XI Star SC won the toss and chose side while Mongoloid FC kicked start the match.

In the first, both the team played an evenly contested match with the number of attacks slightly higher for XI Star SC.

However, their efforts paid dividend in the 22nd minute when N Ramesh gave the opening goal for XI Star SC leading the first half by 1-0 goals.

After changeover, both the team mounted pressure on the defenders of the opposite team by sending in numbers of powerful shots.

However, XI Star SC managed to extend their lead to 3-0 through N Ramesh with his two more successive goals in 58th and 61st.At this juncture, teammate Th Robinson added one more goal i n the 68th minute to make it 4-0.Not deterred by this huge lead, John Hmar of Mongoloid FC responded well in the 77th minute with his powerful shot that managed to past the last man of XI Star SC to reduce the score to 1-4 but Sovami SP inflicted one more goal in the 82nd minute for XI Star SC to hand his team a comfortable 5-1 lead.

However, Samuel and Jehova of Mongoloid FC produced some solid shots in the 86th and 87th minute to reduce the goal difference to 3-5.But their valiant effort to level the goal parity could not be fulfilled as OK Robit came out of nowhere to kick in two successive goal in the 90th and (90+3)th minute to take book a place in the semifinal with 7-3 win in the last quarterfinal of the tournament.

K Ashikumar and Kh Sadananda of XI Star SC were yellow carded in the 33rd and 56th minute for unsporting behavour during the match.

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