Narainpur, May 19 (IANS) Punjab qualified for the quarter-finals of the Swami Vivekananda Men’s U20 NFC after defeating Ladakh 8-1 in their Group C match at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashrama Ground, on Monday. Manipur defeated Sikkim 6-1 in the other match of the day.

Needing three points to secure the top spot and a place in the quarter-finals, Punjab went on to complete a demolition job over Ladakh, after the latter had the lead, albeit for a brief period, early on in the game. Punjab led 3-1 at half-time.

Imran Ali’s eighth-minute goal for Ladakh was cancelled out just about 60 seconds later by Punjab’s Gaurav Singh, who smashed in a rebound. Harmandeep Singh, in the 25th minute, poked a bouncing ball over the Ladakh goalkeeper’s head, to help Punjab put one foot in the knockout rounds. Gurmeet Singh doubled the lead in the 43rd minute, when he skipped past the keeper and slid it into the goal.

Punjab were well and truly in the drivers’ seat, and they continued their dominance in the second half. Arun Kumar Chandla struck two in close proximity in the 68th and 69th minute, before Damandeep Kumar netted the sixth in the 79th. Chandla completed his hat-trick in the 85th, and Arshvir Singh added the final nail in the coffin in injury time (90+2’).

Punjab thus finish top of Group C with nine points. While Manipur too have the same number of points as them, the latter suffered a 0-1 defeat at the hands of the northern state, who remain ahead by virtue of a superior head-to-head record.

Manipur completed a 6-1 drubbing of Sikkim in the second match of the day, though their fate was already decided before kick-off. They led 2-0 at half-time.

Konthoujam Lemba Singh (8’, 10’, 74’) and Md Abash (72’ p, 85’, 90+4’) scored a hat-trick each for Manipur, while Ragpay Lepcha (48’ p), who converted a penalty at the start of the second half, was the only scorer for Sikkim.

–IANS

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