UKB to clash with AFC for Winners'Cup title
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 12 2017: UKB Churachandpur will clash with AFC Thoubal in the final match of the 22nd Winners Cup for Men 2017.The two teams played a 1-1 drawn match against their opponents respectively today yet their initial victories have let them secure a spot for the final in the championship that feature eleven league champions.

In one of the home matches for UKB, CCpur today at the Kholmun Playground, they managed to get a 1-1 tie against RAU Lairikyengbam Leikai and secure a place in the final match by virtue of the overall total points.

The CCpur team had defeated RAU in the latter's home match by 1-0 to snatch 4 points easily.

RAU looked confident in the beginning today.

H Sailesh broke through the UKB defence and netted a beautiful goal in the 3rd minute of the match and it appeared RAU would salvage their home-match defeat.

However, even the goal celebration ended abruptly when in the next minute Paosei Haokip scored an equaliser in what seemed to be just an unstoppable strike.

Both the teams played a long match with none of them unable to take the lead but UKB had apparently taken an early advantage with a 1-0 first leg win.

The second match between NCC Khonghampat in their home match at SKYC Ground Sekmai against AFC Thoubal Athokpam also ended in a 1-1 draw.

For these two teams, AFC had the upper hand with a 2-0 win in their home match.

That left NCC to win the match by a difference of 3 goals to make it to the final.

Again the losing team, this time, it was NCC that scored the first goal, thanks to a clever crack from I Khelemba to net a goal in the 24th minute.

Yet, it took only five minutes for the Thoubal team to equalise the score and none managed to score a goal further.

W Daniel scored the goal for AFC in the 29th minute to draw the match and help his team secure a spot in the final.

The final showdown is thus drawn up between Thoubal and Churachandpur and the two teams have qualified to play in the Manipur State League from next season onwards.

Comment