Manipur beats Mizoram 1-0, qualify for main draw of Santosh Trophy

Manipur qualified for the final round of Santosh Trophy (main draw) after beating Mizoram 1-0 in a must-win zonal qualifying match (Group B) here at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium on

Manipur qualified for the final round of Santosh Trophy (main draw) after beating Mizoram 1-0 in a must-win zonal qualifying match (Group B) here at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium on Thursday.

Manipur, having suffered a 2-0 loss to Tripura in the previous qualifying round match, were in a difficult position while Mizoram who had registered two of two wins in the previous match needed a win or a draw to make it to the main round.

As such, they played a bit more defensively, but, their hope of making it to the final round was dismissed as Ng Bedeenpar Moyon who substituted winger Sudhir Laitonjam just after the break scored the winner for Manipur in the 63rd minute.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh also visited Khuman-Lampak main stadium and joined the audience to cheer for the home team.

Earlier, Nagaland thrashed Tripura, who could have been a contender for the lone final round berth from the zonal group, 6-0 to end their campaign on a high as Laiwang Bohham scored a treble. Laiwang gave Nagaland the lead after 8 minutes before scoring his second in the 19th minute to leave Tripura in the lurch.

The scoring spree for Nagaland continued with Kakhevi Assumi netting the team’s third in the 25th minute before Laiwang Bohham stepped up for a penalty kick and completed his treble in the 34th minute.
Nagaland picked up the game from where they left after the restart and it was Visalie Mezhu who banged in the team’s fifth in the 48th minute before Pursunep converted another fine chance in the 65th minute.

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