U20 men's football nationals: Assam score big win over Tripura

Narainpur (Chhattisgarh) : Assam moved to the top of Group G in the Swami Vivekananda U20 Men’s National Football Championship, defeating Tripura, while Arunachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh played out a goalless draw at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground, on Monday.

Assam have now garnered four points from two matches, and are at the top of Group G, followed by Arunachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, who are on two points apiece. Tripura trail the pack with a solitary point to their name.

Assam demolish Tripura

Assam completed a 6-0 rout of Tripura as they moved to the top of Group G. The score was 3-0 in Assam’s favour at half-time. Pintu Handique (34’, 59’), Nicodim Narjary (42’, 45’), and Gwgwmsar Gayary (57’, 86’) scored a brace each.

It took Assam a little over half an hour to get going when Narjary played a deft low cross to Handique, who slotted it in from close range. Narjary scored two in quick succession close to the half-time break.

He had Ray Rajkumar to thank for both his goals, as the latter’s pin-point crosses from the left flank handed the opportunities to Narjary, who, with two strikes, put his side 3-0 up at half-time.

Tripura’s miseries were doubled after the change of ends. Gayary and Handique scored two more, close to the hour mark before the former put the final nail in the coffin with four minutes of regulation time left. A cross from the left by Ray Rajkumar caused some confusion inside the Tripura box, as Narjary ran onto the ball and scored.

Arunachal Pradesh, M.P play out draw

Arunachal Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh played out a goalless draw in a match that saw two contrasting halves.

Madhya Pradesh had more impetus in the first half, as they looked to make inroads near the Arunachal penalty area. Naganba Waikhom had a good effort early on in the second minute from a freekick that was approximately 30 yards out.

While the Madhya Pradesh defender belted his effort, Arunachal keeper Anant Shah collected it without much fuss. Shijagurumayum Jackson perhaps had the best chance of the match for Madhya Pradesh in the 24th minute, when he ran onto a low cross inside the six-yard box but ended up skying it.

Arunachal Pradesh changed their tempo in the second half, mounting incessant attacks on the opposition goal. Their perseverance almost paid off in injury time, when Tobom Langkam’s freekick from a potentially dangerous position was blocked.