BC Roy Trophy
Shillong: After playing out a draw in the opening game against Haryana, Meghalaya displayed a stunning performance on Thursday to trounce Odisha 6-0 at the Junior National Football Championship to move to the top of Group C.
Wadajied Kynsai Ryngkhlem who came all guns blazing right from the start, secured the first hat-trick of the competition and fastest goal so far for Meghalaya on Thursday at the Third Ground in Polo. Henryford Nongneng, Gladdy Kharbuli and Ioannis Suchen were the other players from Meghalaya to get their names on the scorescheet. Meghalaya wasted no time against Odisha before Ryngkhlem scored after a set-piece in the very first minute of the game. That was however, Meghalaya’s only goal of the first half as Odisha did well to resist the spirited boys from the home side, but they could not prevent the hosts from going up 2-0 early in the second 45 minutes through Ryngkhlem again (48′). Nongneng then mightily drove the ball into the net in the 69th minute before captain Kharbuli converted a spot kick after a foul on Tremiki Lamurong in the 81st.
Suchen then made it five for Meghalaya team with a volleyed shot off a cross five minutes later before Ryngkhlem pulled off a solo effort to claim his hat-trick in the 88th. Earlier in the day, Haryana beat Sports Authority of India 2-0. Nadeem (39′) and Vikas (44′) scored two first half goals for Haryana to move them to four points and leaving SAI on three. Meghalaya, also on four points, are at the top of Group C on goal difference, leading +6 to Haryana’s +2.
In Group A Goa squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Uttar Pradesh at the JN Stadium.
Velroy Cardozo (19′) and Macbon Valen Fernandes (48′) put Goa into a good position but UP fought back via Himanshurai (50′ penalty) and Mohammad Taushif (54′) to split points. UP now have four points, while Goa are on two.
Mizoram took a two-goal lead in under 15 minutes through FC Pahnai (8′) and Lalpekhlua Jongte (14′), but Delhi lifted their game in the second half and gave the defending champions a run for their money, especially after they clawed a goal back in the 75th via a penalty by Fahad Temuri, but Mizoram held on for their first win and also now have four points.