Morung Express News
Kohima | August 8
The Dr T Ao Trophy’s Matchday 7 saw Noklak, Mon, and Chümoukedima recording wins, while Peren and Kohima fought to a goalless draw in a match marked by physicality and discipline at the back.
Noklak 3–0 Longleng
In the day’s opening fixture at 9 a.m., Noklak produced a commanding performance to defeat Longleng 3-0 in Match 21, ending their tournament on a high. Striker Thangsoi M made his presence felt early, scoring in the 7th minute to set the tone. Longleng struggled to settle against Noklak’s pressing game and physical challenges, and Thangsoi doubled the lead in the 51st minute with a composed finish for his brace.
Lamsong L added the third goal in the 58th minute after finding space behind the Longleng defense. Despite late attacking attempts from Longleng, Noklak’s backline stayed disciplined to keep a clean sheet. The game ended with both teams joining in a post-match prayer, thanking God in a gesture of sportsmanship that drew applause from the crowd.
Mon 1–0 Zunheboto
The second match saw Mon edge Zunheboto 1-0 in a tense, low-scoring contest. The match was evenly poised in the first half, with both teams closing down space quickly and limiting clear chances.
The breakthrough came in the 56th minute when Mon’s Laiwang curled a free kick from just outside the penalty box. The ball took a deflection off the Zunheboto defensive wall, wrong-footing the goalkeeper and rolling into the net.
Zunheboto pushed forward for an equalizer, but Mon’s defensive line, marshalled by their goalkeeper, absorbed the pressure. Manton of Mon was shown a yellow card in the 65th minute for a late tackle, but the side maintained their composure to see out the win. The match attracted the tournament’s highest online audience so far, with over 20,000 viewers watching the live stream, boosted by passionate support from the Mon District community.
Chümoukedima 2–0 Dimapur
Meanwhile, Chümoukedima sealed the top spot in Group B with a flawless group stage record after defeating Dimapur 2-0. The win also ensured they progressed without conceding a single goal in the opening round.
Chümoukedima controlled possession from the start and broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through Lima, who slotted home following a well-worked move from midfield. Twelve minutes later, Lima pounced again, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to double the lead in the 30th minute.
The game’s physical edge showed in the bookings: Hesaka of Dimapur received a yellow card in the 38th minute, while Chümoukedima’s Devika was cautioned in the 19th. Dimapur showed urgency in the second half but could not break through Chümoukedima’s compact defensive structure, which has now kept three consecutive clean sheets.
Peren 0–0 Kohima
The final game of the day at 3 p.m., saw Peren and Kohima battle to a 0-0 draw in one of the most physical encounters of the group stage. Both teams came out pressing high, but neither could produce a decisive finish.
Peren looked threatening on the wings, while Kohima relied on quick counterattacks, but the scoreline remained unchanged. The referee handed out five yellow cards in total — Peren’s Namsibo (23rd minute) and Kenumdi (34th), and Kohima’s Menoneikho (16th), Kevizakie (38th), and Kevisekho (43rd) — reflecting the match’s combative nature.
Though goalless, the match kept the crowd engaged with its intensity, and both sides took positives from their defensive organization heading into the knockout rounds.
August 9 fixtures
Kiphire vs Wokha — 9:00 am
Tuensang vs Niuland — 11:00 am
Phek vs Mokokchung — 1:00 pm
Mon vs Shamator — 3:00 pm
