Narainpur, May 18 (IANS) Mizoram booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship from Group D after demolishing Tripura 11-1 at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Stadium, on Sunday. Jharkhand defeated Himachal Pradesh in the other match of the group.

Mizoram are now top of the group with nine points from three matches, an unassailable lead. Maharashtra and Tripura are behind them with six pints, but even if they catach-up to Mizoram, the northeastern side have beaten both, and will be ahead by dint of a better head-to-head record.

Nine goals in the second half saw Mizoram claim a massive 11-1 victory against Tripura, to seal their last eight spot. Mizoram led 2-1 at half-time.

Mesak Lalrinngheta (15’, 83’, 90’, 90+1’) and PC Pazawna (47’, 52’, 54’, 77’) scored four each for Mizoram, while Michael Lalbiaksanga (60’, 63’) netted two and Ngurthanmawia (31’) one. Sukha Dayal Jamatia (29’) scored the only goal for Tripura.

Earlier in the day, Jharkhand defeated bottom side Himachal Pradesh 2-1. The former led 1-0 at half-time.

Chandra Mohan Soy (10’) gave Jharkhand the lead early on, before Aryan Thakur (53’) equalised in the second half. Parity did not last long, however, as Daksh Kumar Mahli (55’) scored the deciding goal a couple of minutes later.

On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh provisionally went to the top of Group C in the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 National Football Championship after they drew 2-2 with Sikkim. In the second match of the day, Manipur defeated Ladakh 4-1.

While UP are currently top of the group with seven points from four matches, Manipur and Punjab are in close pursuit with six points after having played one match less than the current toppers. UP have finished all their matches in the group, however, and it will all depend on the results in the matches between Punjab and Ladakh, and Manipur and Sikkim, on May 19. Only the top team will progress to the quarter-finals.

–IANS

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