Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, OCTober 9
After last week’s sinister rains had conspired, and managed, to rob fans off at least three NPL matches in Dimapur, on Wednesday afternoon at the DDSC stadium it was the turn for another kind of rain to finally let loose and cleanse away the earlier misdemeanors of the inscrutable rain gods. In all, there were three matches played today at the DDSC stadium and an incredible eighteen goals pumped in. The ballooned figures, however, owe largely to a slugfest of a game between FC Naga Tornadoes and Dynamic FC in which a staggering set of 14 goals were scored.
It was the first fixture of the day, the match between FC Naga Tornadoes and Dynamic FC, and the NPL management could not have conjured up a better opening show-not even in their wildest dreams- after last week’s disappointments.
The either halves almost felt like two separate matches. The first half itself saw five goals being scored. And the second half? Nine goals. A breathless game. The Tornadoes lived up to their reputation of playing the most attacking football in the league and thrashed hosts Dynamic FC by 9 goals to 5.
Seven different players scored for the Tornadoes with the diminutive playmaker and captain, (Victor) Haotingmang Thomsong helping himself to a second-half hat-trick. The floodgates opened as early as in the 4th minute when Nyithung headed the Tornadoes into the lead after a neat build-up on the right flank.
Thirteen minutes later, the Tornadoes defense were caught napping when a cross from the right found Dynamic striker Merenlemba completely unmarked and headed home to level the score. It was the first of a series of defensive howlers to be committed by the Tornadoes.
The seasoned striker, Abel restored the lead for Tornadoes five minutes later with a simple tap in. By this time, the match was already wide open and increasingly resembled a basketball match with both the teams exchanging attacks- at a frightening rate.
Another howler, this time, from the Tornadoes keeper in the 31st minute allowed Dynamic to even the score. A seemingly innocuous drive from 18 yards out by Dynamic’s Sungti somehow slipped past the keeper’s arms and rolled into the net.
More misery would descend on the Tornadoes defense, nine minutes later, when Merenlemba dinked the ball over the keeper to sent Dynamic into the lead for the fist time in the match. And the Dynamic defense ensured that they would preserve the lead at the break.
A couple of substitutions, including their calamitous keeper, did the trick for the Tornadoes when play resumed. The elusive and wonderfully skilled Haotingmang (Victor) planted a scorching drive into the top left corner to lead the Tornadoes fight-back, only three minutes into the second half.
Soon the Tornadoes were in the lead again, after Khekrie was at hand to hit home a rebound off the crossbar in the 52nd minute. Dynamic, however, were not pulling any punches and just three minutes later, Shankar made it 4-4 with a thumping goal from the edge of the box.
With the game evenly poised at the hour mark, a breathless half an hour of football was about to descend in which six goals were scored, including three penalties. A handball inside the Dynamic box and the penalty thereof was promptly dispatched by Meren to give Tornadoes the lead in the 64th minute.
The diminutive Victor was in imperious mood and a constant menace to the Dynamic defense at this stage of the game. The 2-goal cushion for Tornadoes, however, would arrive from the boots of Aloumei in the 73rd minute.
Dynamic’s Mhathung pulled one back three minutes later after converting a spot-kick. But the final 15 minutes saw the ruthless Tornadoes plunder three more goals to put to bed any idea of a Dynamic comeback.
In space of three minutes, the 82nd and 85th, the marauding Victor bagged two goals, a penalty and a delightful ship over the keeper to send the Tornadoes flying. New signing Chumben completed the score-line in extra time with a superb strike from distance.
The feeling after the final whistle was that Dynamic FC, forced to punch above its weight, had matched Tornadoes blow-for-blow for an hour of the match. Just a shame that there were thirty more minutes inside the ring.
Tornadoes are obviously plagued with defensive problems, one that they managed to paper over through their attacking talents today. And as for the fans, we always seem to have the last laugh, don’t we?
