FC Raengdai beats Indian Navy 1-0 for historic first Durand Cup win

FC Raengdai enjoyed a dream Durand Cup debut by defeating the Indian Navy Football Team 1-0 in Imphal. Substitute Khaidem Amarjit Singh scored the decisive second-half goal to secure the Manipuri club's first-ever victory and goal in the tournament.

Hyderabad: FC Raengdai marked its maiden Durand Cup appearance in memorable fashion with an impressive 1-0 victory over last year’s quarter-finalists, Indian Navy Football Team, in a Group D fixture of the 135th IndianOil Durand Cup at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal on Thursday.

Substitute Khaidem Amarjit Singh scored the decisive goal in the 58th minute, handing the Manipuri outfit a historic first-ever Durand Cup goal and a deserved victory.

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With both teams registering six attempts on goal, the contest remained evenly poised as they headed into the interval with the scores locked at 0-0.

FC Raengdai eventually made their bright start to the second half count by taking the lead in the 58th minute. Novin Gurung, the last man in defence for Navy, was dispossessed by Mridul Doley, who drove into the penalty area. Although the advancing goalkeeper brought Doley down, the loose ball rolled kindly into the path of substitute Amarjit Singh, who had the simplest of tasks of tapping into an empty net to score FC Raengdai’s first-ever goal in the Durand Cup.

As Indian Navy pushed numbers forward in search of an equaliser, defensive lapses began to creep into their game.

Indian Navy threw everything forward in search of an equaliser, repeatedly delivering crosses into the penalty area from both flanks. However, FC Raengdai defended resolutely, with the backline standing firm to repel the aerial threat and protect their goalkeeper.

FC Raengdai had a golden opportunity to put the result beyond doubt in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Substitute Tingkaochun Gangmei was presented with an open goal from just six yards after being picked out unselfishly by Khaidem Amarjit Singh, but somehow failed to hit the target.