Services rout Meghalaya, confirm semifinals berth

Anil Datt

Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 14

A hat-trick by forward Lallawmkima PC helped Services rout Meghalaya 5-0 in a Group A match in the 73rd National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy at Guru Nanak Stadium here today.

The win took Services to 10 points from four matches and the table-toppers emerged the first side to secure a berth in the semifinals.

Services displayed superb form and Meghalaya found it tough to match them in all departments of the game.

Dominating the proceedings from the word go, Services opened the account in the 28th minute through Lallawmkima. He struck twice in two minutes just before the halftime to complete his hat-trick and give Services a 3-0 lead.

In the second half, Meghalaya’s players didn’t look like they could come back into the contest, while Services kept the pressure up. In the 73rd minute, Sabir Khan, who came in as a substitute, scored a brilliant goal. Sushil Shaw made it 5-0 seven minutes later.

Goa tame Odisha

In the second match, Goa beat Odisha 2-1 to tighten their grip on the second place in Group A, stacking up seven points from three matches. Goa captain Jessel Allan Carneiro put his side ahead in the 14th minute, and three minutes later, Sarineo Fernandes doubled the lead. For Odisha, skipper Arbin Lakra struck to reduce the margin. This was Odisha’s third defeat in a row.