St Anthony’s come from a goal down to beat Rangdajied, enter semis of Assam Rifles CAPF U-19

Shillong, May 5: Two scintillating goals from Freestar Kharbangar saw St Anthony’s Higher Secondary School come from a goal down to win 2-1 against Rangdajied UFC in a decisive Group B boys’ match in the Assam Rifles CAPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament for Meghalaya here on Friday.

St Anthony’s and West Jaintia Hills District Sports Association, who beat KV Laitkor by a massive 22-0 margin, progress to the semifinals, with Rangdajied out after two narrow defeats. Laitkor had lost their first match of the tournament to St Anthony’s.

In the two girls’ games, Tyrsad Higher Secondary School and East Jaintia Hills District Sports Association played out a 2-2 draw, while Lawsohtun SC pipped Mawpdang SC 1-0 in the morning match thanks to a 15^th minute goal from Badaihun Khriam.

Rangdajied’s game seemed to be going well for them, with goalkeeper Lajiedskhem Khyriem and his defenders working well at keeping the attacking St Anthony’s at bay. The latter appeared to be getting more and more frustrated as the match went on and Rangdajied then made things worse when they bagged the lead in the 41^st minute after a low forward pass was met by Atlanson Kharmaw, who squirted the ball between the defenders and goalkeeper.

The 70-minute match then began to draw to a close with Rangdajied holding on to their slender lead. A tug by an Anthonian on a Rangdajied player in the box then gave the latter a penalty kick, but this was brilliantly blocked by goalie Baiakupar Kharpor and the momentum immediately swung in favour of St Anthony’s with the boys buoyed up by this great save.

In the 67^th minute Kharbangar received a cross on the right flank and swerved past a defender to take a shot with his left boot, which found the back of the net. Two minutes later and Kharbangar grabbed the lead for his team by taking a long shot that went over the keeper, who had moved slightly forward, eliciting delirious celebrations by St Anthony’s.

In the earlier boys’ game, KV Laitkor had no answer to West Jaintia Hills’ surefooted players. B Lywait pumped in a total of seven goals (6^th, 14^th, 17^th, 18^th, 43^rd, 54^th, and 69^th minutes), closely followed by team mate Kyrkhu Ryngkhlem with six (23^rd, 31^st, 37^th, 49^th, 51^st, 57^th). D Dkhar also recorded a hat-trick (24^th, 50^th, 60^th), while R Myrchiang (22^nd, 55^th), W Nongrum (34^th), R Sumer (38^th), E Shylla (61^st) and W Nongtdu (70^th) also got their names on the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, in the girls’ division, East Jaintia Hills came from two goals down to draw with Tyrsad. Pynhunlang Rynjah put Tyrsad ahead in the 28^th minute with Iawanlang Nongbet doubling the lead in the 48^th. East Jaintia Hills, however, managed to draw level late in the game through Batbitbha Bareh and Aidisha Shadap, who scored in the 55^th and 58^th minutes respectively.

Saturday will be a rest day for the Assam Rifles CAPF Under-19 Football Talent Hunt Tournament teams, with the action returning on Sunday at Third Ground, Polo.

Two girls’ games will get us rolling – 11:30am will see Mawryngkneng SC take on Umsning SC, followed by the contest between Umiuh SC and Laitkor SC at 1:00pm. The boys then take over with Wahingdoh FC facing KV Happy Valley at 2:15pm, followed by Nongstoin District Sports Association against Assam Rifles Public School at 3:45pm.