- NARAINPUR
(CHHATTISGARH) — Mizoram claimed victory in a roller-coaster of a Swami
Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship quarterfinal, defeating
Punjab in a penalty shootout after the latter came back to level the score from
being two goals down. The northeastern side eventually won the shootout 4-2 as
the match ended 2-2 after extra time.
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- It was a game of two different halves, followed by a
goalless half-hour of extra time. Mizoram were masters of the first half,
Michael Lalbiaksanga (10’) and PC Pazawna (23’ p) putting them in a comfortable
position. Punjab, however, roared back after the change of ends, Akashdeep
Singh (69’) and Arshvir Singh (80’ p) levelling things up to send the match
into extra time.
Also read: Ricky Kharkongor’s strike takes Meghalaya into Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 NFC semis
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- Contrary to the match, Punjab found themselves with the
initial advantage, after Mizoram’s first penalty by PC Pazawna was saved by
goalkeeper Jaskaran Dub. However, the rest of the Mizoram players –
Ngurthanmawia, F Malsawmtluanga, Lalremtluanga L and Freddy Lalruatkima –
entrusted with taking the penalties and did their part in scoring.
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- Punjab, who scored their first two penalties through
Akashdeep Singh and Arshvir Singh, saw their challenge for a last-four spot
fade away after Karan Kumar Sharma sent his spot-kick over the cross-bar while
captain Harmandeep Singh’s penalty was saved by Joel B Lalramchhana, Mizoram’s
goalkeeper and captain.
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- Earlier in the first half, Mizoram got off to a cracking
start after Lalbiaksanga gave them the lead in the 10th minute. Standing over a
free-kick from the edge of the penalty box, near the right flank, Lalbiaksanga
went for glory and found the top corner, to put his side in the lead.
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- Things looked murkier for Punjab when Mohd Sahil was
adjudged to have brought Ngurthanmawia down inside the box, and a penalty was
awarded to Mizoram, on the Pazawna scored comfortably to double his side’s
lead.
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