Our Correspondent
Imphal, Aug. 24 (EMN): Local favourites North-Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association Football Club (NEROCA FC) played out a goalless draw against Army Red Football Team (ARFT) in the Group C match of the ongoing 131st Indian Oil Durand Cup, at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium on Wednesday.
NEROCA, who had won their first game against local rival Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU FC), were the more wasteful of the two while ARFT, who picked up a second consecutive draw, continued their good defensive work from their game against Chennaiyin FC. NEROCA as a result, now have four points from two games while ARFT has two from the same number of games.
The first half saw no intent from both teams, particularly in the middle of the park. NEROCA showed more eagerness, but could not create any meaningful chances in the ARFT half. The Reds were compact and made it harder for NEROCA to create anything by defending deep.
NEROCA dominated the second half and started to create more chances. Lulminlal and Thomyo in particular, missed glorious opportunities to score for NEROCA.
Lulminlal created a half-chance of shorts with great individual work, his diagonal run past two Army Red defenders creating the space to shoot, but he was off-target in the end. Similarly, Thomyo followed it and met it with a side-volley but he too lacked direction which shattered the hopes of local fans who turnes up at the stadium an hour ahead of the match braving the seasonal heat.
With three minutes left on the clock it was the Army team which got one final chance to break the deadlock when substitute Pradeep Kumar, unleashed a left-footed pile-driver from about 20 yards out but keeper Soram Poirei Meitei, rightly adjudged the Man of the Match, brought off a crucial save to deny the Army men.
NEROCA FC will next play Hyderabad FC on August 30 while ARFT will come up against yet another local side, TRAU FC, two days earlier on August 28.