On a day when tension gripped every inch of the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima, Mon delivered a performance worthy of champions, dispatching Dimapur 3–1 to book their spot in the semi-finals on Monday at the ongoing Dr. T Ao Trophy 24th Inter-District Football Championship.
The match began with blistering pace and ferocious tackles, and it took just 28 minutes for Amun to break the deadlock. A clinical finish from inside the box sent the Mon supporters into a frenzy, their chants reverberating like rolling thunder.
The second half was a battlefield. In the 73rd minute, Manton doubled Mon’s advantage with a composed strike, tightening their grip on the game. Dimapur, refusing to bow out quietly, found hope in the 78th minute when Imkongnungsang pulled one back with a deft finish that silenced the Mon-faithful momentarily.
But Mon had the last word- just three minutes later, in the 81st minute, Manyem unleashed a thunderous strike that rattled the net and crushed Dimapur’s comeback dreams.
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The final whistle confirmed Mon’s dominance, sending them marching into the semi-finals with confidence and the roar of their supporters behind them. Dimapur’s valiant fight ended here, but not without leaving a mark on a fiercely contested quarter-final.
Mon’s unyielding spirit, precise finishing, and unbreakable bond with their supporters carried them past Dimapur in a clash that had everything—goals, cards, drama, and relentless energy. The road to glory for Mon now leads to the semi-finals as it will face either Mokokchung or Peren who are set to play a deciding knockout on Tuesday.
CL John, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, and Village Guards graced the first quarter final match as the match patron.
The second quarter finals match was filled with tension, heartbreak and grit, as Niuland booked their ticket to the semis with a narrow 1–0 victory over Chümoukedima, owing to the most unlikely of sources – an own goal from Chümoukedima’s Merensang in the dying moments of first-half stoppage time.
The game began with both sides locked in a midfield battle, trading tackles like heavy blows in a championship boxing bout. Chümoukedima’s defense looked unshakable, but in the 45+3rd minute, fate took a cruel twist. Under pressure from a Niuland attack, Merensang mistimed a clearance, sending the ball agonizingly into his own net.
The second half was an all-out war with Niuland seeking to protect their slender lead while Chümoukedima threw everything forward, desperate to claw back into the game. Yellow cards flew as tempers flared—Katoho of Chümoukedima at the 75th minute and Nungshimar at 90+2 embodying their side’s fiery determination.
Niuland’s composure under siege was commendable, with Torito and Kakhevi anchoring the defense while coach Kivilu rallied the troops from the touchline.
When the final whistle blew, Niuland’s players dropped to their knees in relief and triumph, having survived wave after wave of Chümoukedima’s assaults. One own goal had made the difference—an unforgiving reminder of how football can be both beautiful and cruel.
Chümoukedima did not concede any goals throughout the tournament, except its own teammates. On Monday, team Chümoukedima, one of the strongest contenders in the championships, unfortunately managed to knock itself out with an own goal.
Niuland’s head coach Kivilu is the only coach to have received 2 yellow cards in this tournament.
MLA and advisor Food and Civil Supplies, and Legal Metrology KT Sukhalu who was the match patron handed over tournament mementoes to the Chümoukedima team following the match.
Niuland will clash with the winners of Tuesday’s knockout match between host Kohima and Wokha in the semi-finals on August 13.
