Mizoram finished with an all-win record, defeating
Uttarakhand 2-1, in the concluding Group A league encounter of the 68th
National football championship for the Santosh Trophy at Siliguri on
Tuesday.
Lalnunmawia put Mizoram ahead in the 21st minute before David Lalrinmuana added to the tally in the 74th.
Though Saurabh Rawat pulled one back in the 86th minute, the goal came a bit too late for Uttarakhand to mount a comeback.
Cheriyath scores
In the first match, Nasaraudheen Cheriyath gave Kerala the lead in the 26th minute, and the goal proved to be the match-winner.
Services was reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute when its captain Anthony Chetri was given the marching orders.
Mizoram
topped the standings with 12 points (four wins), while Maharashtra took
the second spot with nine (three wins and a loss).
Last
year’s runner-up Kerala missed the cut, finishing third with six points
(two wins), while defending champion Services won only one match and
lost three. Uttarakhand, a newcomer at the elite level, finished at the
bottom.
The results: Group A: Kerala 1
(Nasaraudheen Cheriyath 26) bt Services 0; Mizoram 2 (Lalnunmawia 21,
David Lalrinmuana 74) bt Uttarakhand 1 (Saurabh Rawat 86).