66th Santosh Trophy - Day 12: Services & Tamil Nadu qualify for semifinals

The 66th edition of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy on its twelweth day today played matches in Group C and D of the Quarterfinal League in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. Hosts Orissa are out of the tournament as Services and Tamil Nadu progress to the semifinals.

Services came back from behind to hold hosts Orissa 1-1 and in the process top Group C to qualify for the semifinal. Services play Kerala in the first semifinal on May 25. At Cuttack's Barabati Stadium, Orissa surged into the lead when Gokul Oram converted from the spot in the 33rd minute. But Services came back strongly in the second half to level proceedings when Gordon Zoramchhana equalised in the 55th minute. Services finished with seven points while Orissa ended on five points.

In an inconsequential match Haryana rode on Abhisek's hattrick to breeze past Chattisgarh 6-1. Besides Abhisek, Devendra, Ajay and Habib scored one goal each, while K. Paveen reduced the margin for Chattisgarh. Haryana finished in third spot in Group C with four points while Chattisgarh couldn't open their account.

Tamil Nadu played out a goalless draw against Railways in their last Quarterfinal Group D League match to advance to the semifinals in the 66th Santosh Trophy. Tamil Nadu topped Group D and ended with seven points while Railways came second with five points. Tamil Nadu now play Manipur in the second semifinal on May 26.

In the other Group D match, Delhi blanked decimated Mizoram 3-0 to finish on three points while Mizoram ended on point. For Delhi, Mahendra Singh scored in the 53rd minute while Dhiraj Singh and Kamson Kabui scored one apiece in the 78th and the 87th minute respectively.


Day Twelve Results

Group-C - Cuttack
23-May-2012: Haryana 6-1 Chhattisgarh
[H: 5,67,83 Abhisek, 37 Habib Khan, 45 Ajay, 53 Devender; C: 54 K. Praveen]
23-May-2012: Orissa 1-1 Services
[O: 33 Gokul Oram (pen); S: 55 Gordon Zoramchhana]

Group-D - Bhubaneswar
23-May-2012: Mizoram 0-3 Delhi
[53 Mahendra Singh, 78 Dhiraj Singh, 87 Kamson Kabui]
23-May-2012: Railways 0-0 Tamil Nadu

66th Santosh Trophy - Day 10: Tamil Nadu beat Mizoram in thriller

The 66th edition of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy on its tenth day today played matches in Group C and D of the Quarterfinal League in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

The hosts Orissa were held to a one-all draw by Haryana. Abhisek gave Haryana an early 8th minute lead but Antu Murmu equalised for the hosts in the 44th minute with the remaining at 1-1 until the end. Orissa move to four points from two matches while Haryana are on one point from two matches.

Services were on a goal-scoring spree when they thumped Chhattisgarh 6-0 in their second match of the Quarterfinal Group C match at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. For Services, Farhad V.V. scored a hattrick (4th,33rd,75th minute) while Thyagarajan scored a brace (62nd and 90th). Z. Horin completed the rout in the 44th minute. With this victory, Services move to the top of Group C with six points from two matches, while Chhattisgarh remain pointless.

In a thrilling Group D quarterfinal clash at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Tamil Nadu rallied to beat Mizoram 4-3. Mizoram were up 2-0 by the 22nd minute through two F. Lalrinpuia (2nd and 22nd) goals, but Tamil Nadu turned things around first with Charles Anandraj scoring in the 38th minute and then a double strike from U. Jayakumar in the 49th and 78th minute. Mizoram came back to equalise two minutes from time through Lalbiakhlua, but M. Ramesh scored the winner in the second minute of injury time for Tamil Nadu. But the match was marred by controversy as in the second session as handball decision led to on-field violence with three Mizoram players and two from Tamil Nadu send-off. Courtesy the victory, Tamil Nadu move to six points from two matches while Mizoram stay on one point.

In another Group D match, Railways scraped past Delhi 2-1. After a barren first half, Lalmohan Hansda put Railways in the lead in the 82nd minute only for Vikash Rawat to restore parity in the 84th minute. Railway's Gurpreet Singh sealed the fate of the match in the 86th minute. Railways move to four points from two matches while Delhi are yet to open their account.


Day Ten Results

Group-C - Cuttack
21-May-2012: Haryana 1-1 Orissa
[H: 8 Abhisek; O: 44 Antu Murmu]
21-May-2012: Chhattisgarh 0-6 Services
[4,33,75 Farhad V.V., 44 Z. Horin, 62,90 Thyagarajan]

Group-D - Bhubaneswar
21-May-2012: Delhi 1-2 Railways
[D: 84 Vikash Rawat; R: 82 Lalmohan Hansda, 86 Gurpreet Singh]
21-May-2012: Mizoram 3-4 Tamil Nadu
[M: 2,22 F. Lalrinpuia, 88 Lalbiakhlua; T: 38 Charles Anandraj, 49,78 U. Jayakumar, 90+2 M. Ramesh]

66th Santosh Trophy - Day 8: Hosts Orissa open with win

The 66th edition of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy on its eighth day today played matches in Group C and D in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar of the Quarterfinal League in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

Hosts Orissa made a successful start into the 66th Santosh Trophy with a 4-0 win against Chhattisgarh riding on a hattrick by Gokul Oram and another goal from Antu Murmu. Gokul gave Orissa the perfect lead, in injury-time of the first half with Antu Murmu doubling the lead in the 66th minute. Gokul would add two more late in the game in the 82nd and first minute of injury time.

In another Group C match Services also won 4-0, they won against Haryana Z. Horin put Services in the lead as early as the 8th minute only for Subrata Sarkar to double the score in the 67th minute. Services scored their third goal in the 74th minute when Farhad V.V. bulged the net and he would add another one in the 85th minute.

Mizoram held Railways to a two-all draw. For Railways, Gurpreet Singh and Rizu scored in the 15th and the 45th minute respectively while Mizoram scored through V. Lalanpuia (45th) and F. Lalrinpuia in the 50th minute.

Tamil Nadu made a perfect start into the tournament with a 1-0 win against Delhi. The golden goal was scored by S. Karthik in the 76th minute.


Day Eight Results

Group-C - Cuttack
19-May-2012: Services 4-0 Haryana
[8 Z. Horin, 67 Subrata Sarkar, 74,85 Farhad V.V.]
19-May-2012: Orissa 4-0 Chhattisgarh
[45+1,82, 90+1 Gokul Oram, 66 Antu Murmu]

Group-D - Bhubaneswar
19-May-2012: Railways 2-2 Mizoram
[R: 15 Gurpreet Singh, 45+2 Rizu; M: 40 V. Lalanpuia, 50 F. Lalrinpuia]
19-May-2012: Tamil Nadu 1-0 Delhi
[76 S. Karthik]