The Imphal Derby, played in Group E of the 134th Durand Cup, lived up to the expectations of the fans. This match between Neroca FC and TRAU FC was full of excitement.
Sports News: The much-anticipated Imphal Derby, played on Wednesday under Group E of the 134th Durand Cup, witnessed tremendous excitement. In the match between local rivals Neroca FC and TRAU FC, the hearts of both teams' supporters were racing until the final moments. While TRAU FC had taken a 1-0 lead thanks to a goal by Khunjamayum Raj Singh, Arunkumar Singh's excellent goal in injury time ended the match in a 1-1 draw.
Governor Inaugurates the Match
The mega-match was inaugurated by the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, with a traditional kick-off. On this occasion, many dignitaries including Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Eastern Command Chief Lieutenant General Ram Chandra Tiwari, and GOC of Spear Corps Lieutenant General Abhijit Pendharkar were present.
TRAU FC Played with an All-Indian Squad
TRAU FC's head coach, Thangjam Saran Singh, gave a chance to completely Indian players in the match and fielded the team in a 4-2-3-1 formation. On the other hand, Neroca FC's coach Gyan Moyon tried to sharpen the attack by fielding three foreign players—Jackson Emmanuel Gomado, Mark Harrison Jr., and Ekombong Victor Phillip—in a 4-4-2 formation.
Neroca set the tempo from the start of the match with a high press. Captain Angom Kanesh Singh's early shot was stopped by TRAU defender Rakesh, while Mark Harrison's attempt on the rebound went wide of the goal. Both teams continued to fight for dominance in midfield, but no goals were scored in the first half.
TRAU Takes the Lead in the 58th Minute
In the second half, in the 58th minute, Khunjamayum Raj Singh sent a cross from the right flank, which deceived Neroca goalkeeper Santosh Singh and went straight into the net. This brilliant goal gave TRAU a 1-0 lead and filled the TRAU supporters in the stadium with enthusiasm. After taking the lead, TRAU adopted a defensive approach, but Neroca opened the front for an equalizer. Japes came close to scoring in the 62nd minute, but defender Dhananjay Singh stopped him. In the 68th minute, Gomado's attempt was once again thwarted by the defense.
TRAU suffered a setback in the 73rd minute when Dhanchandra Mutum received a second yellow card and the team was left with 10 players. After this, Neroca adopted an even more aggressive approach. Substitute Jlex Mangang entered the box but Akash Meetei stopped him with a brilliant tackle.
Drama in Stoppage Time—Equalizer in the 96th Minute
As time ran out, the excitement of the match reached its peak. In the 86th minute, TRAU goalkeeper Sapam Singh dived to save Arunkumar Singh's header. But finally, in the 96th minute, Neroca achieved the equalizer. Jlex's cross from the left flank was headed in front of the goal by Waikhom, and Arunkumar Singh, with excellent timing, put the ball in the lower corner. This goal denied TRAU the victory, while Neroca got a late relief.
After this thrilling match, both teams earned one point each and made a balanced start to their campaign in Group E. However, this draw will be more of a psychological blow than a victory for TRAU FC, while for Neroca, this fightback will be an inspiration.
