A tough and thrilling contest unfolded between Neroca FC and Indian Navy FT in the Group F match of the 134th Durand Cup, held at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Manipur.
Sports News: The Group F match of the 134th Durand Cup between Neroca FC and Indian Navy FT ended in a goalless draw. In the match held at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, both teams displayed excellent attacking and defensive play, but neither managed to find the back of the net. The match result of 0-0 earned each team one point in the standings.
Match Background
Manipur's home team, Neroca FC, made three changes to their starting eleven after the Imphal Derby. Coach Gyan Moyon adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation, fielding Jeitly Sorokhaibam as goalkeeper, Gotimayum Muktasana in midfield, and Brazilian player Lucas da Silva in defense. On the other hand, Indian Navy FT coach Raman Rai decided to field the same winning team from their previous match.
He opted for a 4-3-3 formation, assigning captain Bhaskar Roy the goalkeeping duties, while Vijay Marandi and Shreyas played on the wing positions, and Roshan Panna was placed in the forward position.
First Half – Defensive Solidity and Missed Opportunities
Both teams displayed aggressive movements from the opening minutes of the match. In the 6th minute, Indian Navy's Denny Singh made a rapid run from the wing and took a powerful shot, which was brilliantly saved by Neroca's goalkeeper Jeitly. In the 11th minute, Neroca had an opportunity when Lourenbam shot towards the goal from a through ball from midfield, but captain Bhaskar Roy easily caught it.
In the first half, Neroca maintained control of possession and challenged Navy's defense line with the help of Rohit Meitei and Lourenbam, but they couldn't score. Meanwhile, Denny Singh made a significant contribution in playmaking for Navy, but Shreyas failed to convert opportunities into goals.
Second Half – Unsuccessful Attempts to Take the Lead
At the beginning of the second half, in the 50th minute, Roshan Panna set up the ball for Denny, but his curling shot went wide. In the 53rd minute, another attempt by Denny missed the goal. In the 60th minute, Neroca's captain Keneesh Singh had a golden opportunity to take the lead, but his left-footed shot went outside the post. In the 68th minute, Indian Navy got a free-kick near the edge of the box, but Adarsh's shot bounced back after hitting the defensive wall.
The most thrilling moment of the match came in the 88th minute when substitute Sadananda Singh delivered a brilliant cross to Shreyas, but his shot hit the post and went out. In the 89th minute, Neroca's Gomado also had a chance, but he too failed to convert it into a goal. In the final moments, Neroca's Zlex received a straight red card for a strategic foul on Roshan Panna. Pintu's free-kick was also ineffective, and the match ended 0-0.
With this draw, Indian Navy FT remains at the top of Group F with four points from two matches. Their next match will be against TRAU FC on August 12. Neroca FC now has two points from two matches, and their next match will be against Real Kashmir FC on August 10.
