Imphal: It rained goals in a thoroughly entertaining evening of Hero I-League football, as Neroca emerged 4-3 winners in a seven-goal thriller against Punjab FC at the Khuman Lumpak Stadium in Imphal on Monday.
Phillip Adjah Tettey broke the deadlock in the fifth minute before Dipanda Dicka restored parity three minutes later and scored his 50th goal of his much accomplished Hero I-League tenure. Tettey scored his second in the 37th minute to reclaim Neroca’s advantage before half-time. Substitute Girik Mahesh Khosla brought Punjab back to level terms near the hour mark.
The visitors were reduced to 10 men after Yumnam Raju was sent off for a second bookable challenge. Neroca soon raced to a 4-2 lead, courtesy of an own goal from Punjab’s Danilo and shortly afterwards, Tettey’s third of the evening, earning him the match ball for a match-winning hat-trick. Dicka converted a penalty in the 86th minute, but the hosts held on for the remainder of what was a nervy finish. (PTI)
