Amritsar, July 30 (IANS) Manipur finally reclaimed the Junior Boys’ National Football Championship for the Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy (Tier 1) title after a 25-year wait, defeating defending champions West Bengal 3-0 in the final at the Guru Nanak Dev University Sports Complex on Wednesday, here.

Manipur led 2-0 at half-time with goals from Lourembam Naocha Singh (17’) and Ngayungmi Kashung (37’). Amom Krish Singh (90+2’) added the third in the stoppage time of the match.

The match was billed as a clash of equals, with both teams unbeaten and having scored 13 goals apiece en route to the final. But on the day, Manipur’s hunger, intensity, and tactical discipline left West Bengal struggling.

Manipur stamped their authority early, breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute. Khutleibam Sultan surged down the right and delivered a precise low cross to Lourembam Naocha Singh, who controlled with a deft first touch before drilling a powerful left-footer past West Bengal goalkeeper Suva Barai.

Buoyed by the opener, Manipur dictated the tempo with clever passing and relentless pressing, while West Bengal’s attack faltered amid missed passes and a lack of cohesion.

The pressure told again in the 37th minute. Sultan was the creator once more, swinging in a teasing cross that Yumnam Sonamani headed goalward. Though Barai parried the attempt, Kashung pounced on the rebound to make it 2-0.

West Bengal, featuring tournament top-scorer Rajdeep Paul, were surprisingly subdued. Paul, with seven goals to his name, was effectively neutralised by Manipur’s compact defence. Their best chance for West Bengal arrived in the 80th minute when Rintu Malik threaded a ball to Paul, but Alex Oinam’s timely block thwarted the danger.

As the final ticked into stoppage time, Manipur added gloss to the scoreline. In the second minute of injury time, Sonamani’s clever assist set up Amom Krish Singh, who coolly slotted home his sixth goal of the tournament, sparking jubilant celebrations on the Manipur bench.

–IANS

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