NE Football Tourney’s first match, Sikkim vs Arunachal ends in a draw

DEFENDING CHAMPS MANIPUR THRASH NAGALAND IN SECOND MATCH
SAGAR CHHETRI
GANGTOK, 02 Mar: Even after a good start, the home team had to console itself with a draw in its first match in the Dr T Ao Memorial Football Tournament played here at Paljor Stadium today. The inaugural match between Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh ended at 2-2.
The home team launched an offensive game from the very start. Displaying some good skills, Sahansha Ansari scored the first goal for Sikkim in the 13th minute as the state’s players maintained their offensive strategy. With another goal in the 32nd minute by Thupden Tshering Bhutia, Sikkim managed to keep its lead of 2-0 by the end of the first half.  
However, the boys from Arunachal Pradesh fought back hard with Rocky Ramching managing to bring down the goal margin by 1 goal scored in the 51st minute and in the 71st minute, Pura Byai scored the equalizer for AP. It was a neck-to-neck game but no team managed to score any more goals so the match ended in a draw.
Also on the day, the defending champions Manipur proved why they are the champions as they thrashed Nagaland in the second match. A hat-trick by L Gouro Singh ensured the defending champions a good start in the tournament.
Kh Naoton Singh scored the first goal for Manipur in the 15th minute and soon Saku Temsen scored the equalizer for Nagaland in the 28th minute but with the help of L Gouro’s goal in the 39th minute, Manipur took the lead and kept it by the end of the first half at a score of 2-1.
In the second half, L Gouro scored his brace in the 60th minute and completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute to finish the game by 4-1 in favour of Manipur.
Sikkim has been placed in Group A along with Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Assam, while Group B has Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya in the tournament.
Tomorrow, Mizoram will take on Assam in the first match at 12:15 PM, while the second match will be played between Tripura and Meghalaya at 2:15 PM.