West Bengal Dominates Nagaland with 4-0 Victory in Santosh Trophy Opener

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Defending champions West Bengal got the better of Nagaland 4-0 in a Group A match at the Dhakuakhana Football Stadium in the Santpsh Trophy on Wednesday.

Robi Hansda put the 33-time winners in front in the 2nd minute. Sayan Banerjee made it 2-0 with a similar effort in the 32nd as they took a 2-0 half-time lead. Akash Hemram scored in the 49th, while Aqib Nawad completed the tally in the 90th as they added two more in the second half to emerge fluent winners.

Juweel Ahmed Mazumdar sent a corner from the left into the box, and Robi Hansda, last season’s top scorer, angled his firm header into the centre of the goal in the very second minute. Thereafter, West Bengal’s winger Akash Hemram swung one to the farm post, and Sayan Banerjee rose to bury his header in.

Nagaland almost pulled one back as Laiwang Bohham sent Manton Wangshu away on the left. Manton advanced deeper and let fly a crisp right-footer. But West Bengal goalkeeper Somnath Dutta blocked it. As it rolled into the box, Ghuqhe Chishi blasted it over the bar.

After the change of ends, Bengal struck two more as Robi Hansda sent Akash Hemram away on the right. The winger sprinted in and placed it into the far post. As time ticked away, it was 4-0 as Aqib Nawab ran in as an interception by Ato Chophi resulted in a return pass, and the West Bengal substitute rolled it into the net from close range, just minutes before the final whistle.

Meanwhile in the other match of the day, held in the morning at the same venue, Rajasthan set the ball rolling in the Santosh Trophy with a fighting 3-2 victory over Uttarakhand in a Group A match,

Rajasthan got the tournament to a pulsating start, scoring in the very first minute as Amit Kumar headed home. Skipper Mukesh Kumar then headed in another in the 24th to give them a two-goal cushion. But Uttarakhand fought back to restore parity twice, first through a penalty conversion by Nirmal Singh Bisht in the 38th minute, and then through his right-footed volley in the second minute of added time of the first half.

Mukesh Kumar again produced a superb back header to make it 3-2 in the 49th as they hung on for dear life against a rampaging Uttarakhand to bag all three points.

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