KOHIMA, OCTOBER 17: Day-19 of the 17th NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy belonged to the state’s police personnel as both the Nagaland Police teams participating in the event won their respective quarterfinal matches here at Kohima local ground to advance to the semis.
Playing the second match of the day, title contenders Nagaland Police (Red) blanked debutants Asufü Christian Institute (ACI) 9-0 to register their entry to the round of last four.
Police midfielder Kekhrie Tsira led from the front as he scored four goals, becoming the 13th hat-trick scorer of the month-long tournament which will conclude on October 22.
On their way to humiliate the visiting team from Manipur, Nagaland Police (Red) took the first lead when Limakumzuk scored in the 25th minute, followed by another quick goal in the 26th minute through the boots of Saku.By the 39th minute, the ACI found themselves on the receiving end again as police striker Ratobe netted the third goal for his team.
In a match entirely dominated by the police team, the ACI players were left with no other choice, except to defend well and minimise the defeat margin.
Police playmaker Kekhrie Tsira netted his first and the fourth goal for the police team in the 42nd minute; while he went on to score his double in the final minute of the first half.
From the quarterfinals, all the matches would be played with 90-minutes stipulated time, unlike the earlier matches which were played in 70 minutes.
Moving into the second half, it was celebration time for Kekhrie as he netted his hat-trick goal in the 67th minute. Two minutes later, Kekhrie was on target again in the 69th minute as he scored his fourth goal and the seventh for the police team.
All out to demolish the visiting team, the police players continued their dominance and kept on pressing their opponents which led Limakumzuk to score the 8th goal for the police team in the 79th minute.
To make it worse for ACI, Lipok was on target as he scored in the 82nd minute to end the one-sided match 9-0.
Earlier, playing the first quarterfinal of this edition, Nagaland Police (Blue) edged out last year’s semi-finalist Senapati FC, Manipur, by a solitary goal to become the first team to qualify for the semis.
The police team was favoured with a penalty in the 42nd minute, which Ninja Gongmei successfully converted.
The match was equally poised, however, the first-half spot kick proved decisive as both the teams failed to convert any goals after the interval. Following the first-half deficit, the spirited Senapati FC players fought hard determinedly to stay in the game but failed to make any successful penetration into the police defence.
Monday’s results have also ended the journey of all the participating teams from Manipur, as both Senapati FC and Asufü Christian Institute went down fighting in the round of last eight today.
With their respective victories, both the police teams, Nagaland Police (Red) and Nagaland Police (Blue), have booked their birth in the semis; but they would be playing against one another in the first semifinal on October 19. The final is scheduled on October 22.
With one more match to go before the final, Nagaland Police (Blue) will have a setback in the semifinal as three of their players Kedithunbo, Zhavilie Meyase and Ruokuozhazo were cautioned with yellow cards.
As for Nagaland Police ((Red), their forward player Limakumzuk was booked with a yellow card in today’s match.
Meanwhile, the first quarterfinal was graced by Achumbemo Kikon, former President of the Naga Students’ Federation and convenor, NPF Legal Cell, as the match patron, while Neinguvoto Krose, legal-cum- probation officer, Social Welfare department and convenor organizing committee of the 17th NSF Martyrs’ Memorial Trophy, was the match patron for the second quarterfinal.
QUARTERFINAL FIXTURE OCTOBER 18
Barak FC Vs Tiema-Khe, Kidima @ 12 noon
Forerunners FC, 4th NAP Vs P. Vizheto FC @ 2 pm
