63rd CC MeetKLASA FC confirm semi-final berth, Serto Worneilen stars as CFA win 7-goal thriller

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 9 : KLASA FC, Keinou booked the semi-final ticket of the ongoing 63rd Sir Churachand Singh KCSI, CBE Memorial Invitation Football Tournament by edging out F4C, Saikul 2-1 at Artificial Turf, Lamlong Thongkhong.
KLASA FC, having beaten KIYC 4-2 in the Group opener (quarter final league stage), had a confident start against the Saikul team but their efforts did not yield any result. F4C also put up a brave fight and created few chances before both the teams entered into the break goalless.
The two sides got busy searching for the breakthrough goal as soon as the game resumed but the Saikul side took the lead unexpectedly when Ngulgoulal Singsit found the back of the KLASA net in the 59th minute.
The Keinou side did not lose heart and rallied back with Lunminlen hitting the equaliser in the 66th minute to make it anyone's game.
It was an end to end affair as the two sides looked to break the deadlock until KLASA dug deep into stoppage time and sealed the winner with Sh Rajdan converting a last ditch effort (90+4').
With two of two wins, the Keinou team have booked the semi-final berth as Group A winners.
Later in the day, Classic FA kicked off their Group B quarter final league stage brushing aside MA, Kangpokpi in a 7-goal thriller thanks to impressive four goals by Serto Worneilen.
It was a keenly contested affair from the beginning as Serto Worneilen drew the first blood in the 7th minute before Haolengou helped MA salvage a 1-1 draw till halfway with a clinical finish in the 43rd minute.
After the restart, Mangtinsei turned tabled in MA's favour breaking the deadlock 46th minute but the lead was cancelled out within a couple of minutes as Serto Worneilen struck his second in the 48th minute.
Classic FA retained the lead with Serto Worneilen completing his treble in the 59th minute . Unstoppable Serto took another three minutes to further extend the lead to 4-2 before Haontinsem reduced the deficit for MA in the 82nd minute.
Their efforts to come back proved futile as the Chingmeirong team held on to their lead to see out the game 4-3 and enhanced their semi-final hopes. With the result, MA are literally out of semi-final contention with two straight losses.
CFA and NEROCA will fight it out for the pole position and for a place in the semi-finals on March 13 at 12.15 pm. There will be no matches tomorrow.