I-League: Aizawl seal season’s 2nd NE derby; 2 red cards for NEROCA

KOLKATA: NEROCA FC were handed their second defeat in as many matches in the I-League as Aizawl FC won the northeast derby 2-1 at the Mohun Bagan ground in Kolkata on Saturday.
After being held to a draw in their last match by Indian Arrows, the former champions pulled up their socks and put on a dominant display to earn their second win of the tournament even as their new coach Yan Law remained absent from the dugout due to the quarantine measures.
With this win, Aizawl have seven points from four matches and are four points off leaders Churchill Brothers having played a game less. NEROCA, on the other hand, remained on the tenth spot with four points from four matches.
Aizawl began really well and came close to scoring on a number of occasions but NEROCA goalkeeper Bishorjit Singh was brilliant in front of the goal and the game remained goalless. The relentless attacks however proved too much for him as PC Laldinpuia put Aizawl finally ahead in the 37th minute after he headed in R Malsawmtluanga’s cross from the right corner.
NEROCA didn’t have to wait too long though for the equalizer as Judah Garcia made it 1-1 four minutes after the half time.
The Trinidad and Tobago forward hit a thumping shot from just outside the box towards the left post and the Aizawl goalkeeper failed to keep it out. He dived full length and did get a hand to it but the pace on the ball was too much. Also, the Aizawl defenders were guilty of giving Garcia too much space and time to take the shot.
With momentum on their side, NEROCA pushed ahead in search of another and came close to taking the lead six minutes later when they won a free kick near the halfway mark. It was a brilliant right-footed shot from Nathaniel Garcia but the ball hit the crossbar before going out of play.
Even as NEROCA rued missing the chance, it was Aizawl who took the lead in the very next minute.
K Lalmalsawma played a dipping cross from the right into the box and the NEROCA FC goalkeeper made a mess of collecting it as he clashed with Princewill Emeka mid-air. The ball fell in front of MC Malsawmzuala and he made no mistake of heading it past the NEROCA defenders into the net.
After that the action shifted from one half to another but neither team had any clear opportunities to score. In the dying minutes, NEROCA did get a difficult chance but Songpu Singsit’s overhead shot off Nathaniel’s cross missed the target.
However, as NEROCA’s second defeat in as many matches became imminent, their players started to lose their cool and in a span of five minutes in the injury time two of their players were given the marching orders.
First Akbar Khan had to leave the field after he was shown a second yellow following a lunging tackle on Lalliansanga, who replaced Emeka a few minutes back. Then five minutes later NEROCA’s Liberian defender Kallon Varney Kiatamba was shown a straight red following an off-the-ball incident.
Aizawl will next face Churchill while NEROCA will take on Mohammedan SC.