Sport - Football

Nagen scores four goals

NEW DELHI: Nagen struck four times as New Delhi Heroes outplayed Army Service Corps, Bangalore, 6-1 in a Group ‘A’ pre-quarterfinal league match of the Osian’s Durand Cup football tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Sunday.

This big victory, in which Manish Khatri and Brazilian-import Iteue contributed a goal each, helped the local team stay on course for a place in the quarterfinal league.

In the other league match, Army XI defeated Assam Rifles 2-0. As things stand, New Delhi Heroes will now have to beat Army XI by a minimum margin of two goals to advance.

Nagen pushed ASC on the defensive with a fifth minute strike after finding the mark from close. Twenty minutes later, Nagen was on target again before ASC’s Nithesh Bareily scored off a counter-attack.

Five minutes into the second half, Khatri made it 3-1 with a volley off a cross from Barester. Iteue increased the margin six minutes later off a free-kick after goalkeeper Santanu Kumar was penalised for handling the ball outside the penalty-box. Nagen scored again in the 73rd and 77th minutes to complete ASC’s misery.

Army XI could afford the luxury of squandering a ‘penalty-kick’ on way to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Assam Rifles.

Thirunavakarasu put his team ahead following a goalless first half. Skipper M. G. Ramachandran failed to score from the ‘spot’ before Ngurneilal added the tally. — Special Correspondent

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