Durand Cup: Neroca play goalless draw , Mumbai City share spoils against ATKMB

NEROCA FC was held to a goalless draw by the Army Red Football Team (ARFT) in a Group C encounter of the 131st edition of the Durand Cupat the Khuman Lampak Stadium in in Imphal on Wednesday. NEROCA, who had won their first game against local rivals TRAU FC, were the more wasteful of the two while ARFT, who picked up a second consecutive draw, continued their good defensive work from their game against Chennaiyin FC. NEROCA as a result, now have four points from two games while ARFT has two from the same number of games.

The opening half saw no intent from both teams, particularly in the middle. The home side showed more eagerness, but could not create any meaningful chances in the ARFT half. The Reds were compact and made it harder for NEROCA to create anything by defending deep. The Army men played well on the counters and did create few chances but were poor in the final third.

NEROCA started the second half brightly and started to create more chances. Lulminlal and Thomyo in particular, missed glorious opportunities to score for NEROCA.

At the hour mark, Lulminlal created a good chance, showcasing great individual work, as he ran past two Army Red defenders to create the space to shoot, but he was off-target in the end. He was again at it four minutes later with a wonderful cross from the left wing, which took out the entire defence. Thomyo followed it and met it with a side-volley but he too lacked direction.

With three minutes left on the clock it was the Army team which got one final chance to break the deadlock when substitute Pradeep Kumar, unleashed a left-footed pile-driver from about 20 yards out but keeper Sonam Porei, rightly adjudged the Man of the Match, brought off a crucial save to deny the Army men.

In the second encounter of the day, ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) and Mumbai City FC (MCFC) played out an exciting 1-1 draw in a Group B clash at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK). Liston Colaco drew first blood for the home side in the first-half, only to see that effort cancelled out by Argentine striker Jorge Pereyra Diaz, in the second. MCFC now have four points from two games while ATKMB have picked up their first, after going down to Rajasthan United in their first game.

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