Mon, Jul 26 10 10:22 PM
Kolkata, Jul 26 (PTI) Kerala and Mizoram emerged cluster toppers to set up a pre-quarterfinal clash in the 64th National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy here today. The teams will take on each other in their last-16 knockout on July 28. Kerala thrashed Assam 5-2 at the floodlit Yuba Bharati Krirangan to emerge cluster VII toppers. In cluster VIII, Mizoram pipped Railways 1-0 at Howrah Stadium, while Orissa blanked Bihar 3-0 at Khardah. Mizoram, Railways and Orissa logged six points. On goal difference, Mizoram and Railways were tied with plus nine, while Orissa (plus five) bowed out. But the team from North-East were adjudged toppers having scored more goals -- 12 compared to 11 by the railmen. In the cluster VII encounter, Kerala took a 19th minute lead through Javed OK, but Assam made a spirited comeback three minutes later with a goal by Akkum Ao. Three minutes before the half-time, Justin Stephen brought Kerala back into the game and thereafter three more goals were scored at regular intervals to make it to the last 16. Sakeeer MP (69th), Bijesh Ben (81st) and Jubair KP (90+3rd) scored the last three goals for Kerala, while Assam pulled one back through Jilendra Brahma in the 86th minute. Lalrinfela scored the all-important goal for Mizoram in the 33rd minute in their 1-0 win over Railways. Orissa registered a 3-0 win over Bihar in another match in the same cluster. Following a goalless first-half, Mohammad Ehsan Sheikh gave Orissa the lead in the 63rd minute and then Mushtaqim struck a brace in the 77th and 89th minute to sign off their campaign. In an inconsequential cluster VII match at YBK, Uttarakhand blanked Himachal Pradesh 4-0. Veer Singh Negi (16th), Manish Khatri (41st), Lakhwinder Singh (57th) and Nikunj Aswal (66th) struck in Uttarakhand''s win.
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