GUWAHATI, July 5 � NF Railway Sports Association cruised into the quarterfinal of the NN Bhatta Football Tournament.
In today�s match at Nehru Stadium here, NF Rly outsmarted Sports Authority of India (SAI) Sports Club 4-2. Now the railwaymen will take on Maharana Athletic Club in the quarterfinal on July 10.
It was, however, an entertaining encounter with planned moves from either sides. Players of both the teams displayed some methodical game and created several moves and counter-moves.
The Railway team, which won the All India Inter Railway Football Championship recently, was seen in good form. Their attacking strategy from the word go was in the right order. Sibra Narzary, Jilendra Brahma, Shashanka Chanda were quite fast at the up front and they left a torrid time for the SAI defenders.
Shashanka put Railway ahead in the 6th minute with a eye-catching back volley. Unmarked Shashanka got the ball off a flag kick and volleyed home with a fast-timer.
But William Gangte earned the spot kick for SAI when he was brought down by a Railway defender inside the box. Captain Sunil Murmu fired home in the 24th minute to draw level.
Sibra Narzary took Railway 2-1 ahead in the dying moments of the first session converting a penalty kick.
After the break, Shashanka netted his second and team�s third goal in the 53rd minute and Jilendra made it 4-1 in the 67th minute. Finally, William found the reducer for SAI in the 87th minute.
Today�s match: Kamrupa FC vs Abutani FC.
