Our Sports Reporter
GUWAHATI: Ten-men Assam defeated Meghalaya by 2-1 and earned its first victory in the Santosh Trophy Football at Golden Jubilee Stadium, Yupia, in Itanagar on Friday. All three goals of the match came in the first half, with Assam taking the lead via Milan Basumatary (8') before Sheen Sohktung equalised in the 32nd minute. Joydeep Gogoi then put Assam back into the lead in the 45th minute, and they were able to hold on in the second half despite being a man down for most of the period.
Both sides lost their opening game in the competition. Assam suffered defeat against Kerala, and Meghalaya lost to Services in their first game in group ‘A’. Meghalaya, who finished runners-up in the last edition, tried to dominate the game, but Assam defenders played well and didn’t allow the opponent to score except once.
Assam got the first goal of the match within 8 minutes, and Meghalaya was a little bit unlucky on this occasion. There was a back pass, and goalkeeper Lionel tried to clear the ball, but it hit Basumatary, and the ball rebounded straight into the back of the net.
Meghalaya took 24 minutes to return the goal. The side got a free kick on the top of the box, and Sheen’s low free-kick broke the wall and also beat the keeper, Birkhang, who almost reached the ball.
Meghalaya tried to dominate the game, but Assam managed to earn the lead for the second time through Joydeep Gogoi. Assam earned a corner in the 45th minute, and Joydeep, who came on as a substitute a few minutes earlier, received it after two short passes inside the box and beat the goalkeeper with a powerful shot.
Assam was reduced to ten men in the second half as goalkeeper Birkhang Daimary was shown a red card for handling the ball outside the box. Assam played with ten men in the remaining part of the match.
Meanwhile two more matches of the same group were held on Friday. Services defeated Arunachal Pradesh 4-0 and Goa won against Kerala by 2-0.
Wtth today’s victory Services are now top of the table with six points. Goa (4 points), Kerala (3 points) and Assam (3 points) are at number two, three and fourth place respectively.
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