Players of Barak FC and Sechü Zubza during their match on February 5.
KOHIMA, FEBRUARY 5 (MExN): Toka Achumi scored a hat-trick to lead Barak FC to a dominant 3-0 victory over Sechü Zubza FC in the Nagaland Super League on Monday. The win came despite Barak FC playing most of the second half with 10 men.
The match started with both teams creating chances, but SZFC hit the post in the 8th minute. Barak FC responded with a close effort in the 11th minute before Achumi opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Despite several opportunities, SZFC struggled to convert, and Barak FC’s defense held strong. Barak’s Henry was sent off with a red card in first-half stoppage time, leaving his side down to 10 men for the second half.
In the second half, Barak FC remained composed. Achumi doubled the lead in the 70th minute, finishing clinically. He completed his hat-trick in the 85th minute, capitalizing on a fast counterattack to seal the win.
Barak FC registered 45% possession compared to SZFC’s 55%, with both teams earning several shots. SZFC fired 9 shots, 3 on target, while Barak FC had 8 shots, 5 on target. Both teams earned 7 corners, but SZFC struggled with execution, failing to capitalize on set pieces.
Barak FC’s goalkeeper played a key role in the shutout, making crucial saves as SZFC pushed for a late comeback. Despite Barak being a man down, they maintained defensive discipline to secure a comfortable win.
Achumi’s performance was the highlight, earning him Player of the Match honors. The victory keeps Barak FC in contention for the top spot in the league, while SZFC will look to regroup after the defeat.
In the evening match, Nagaland United Sports Club (NUSC) cruised to a dominant 5-0 victory over Frontier Warriors (FWFC) in an exciting encounter. Despite a resilient defensive effort from FWFC and some exceptional goalkeeping, NUSC’s attacking onslaught proved too much to handle.
NUSC opened the scoring in the 55th minute through Shlok Tiwari, and Ngariyanbam Jenish Singh doubled the lead in the 64th minute. Singh added another goal in the 71st minute, completing his brace. Nisede Peseyie then made it 4-0 in the 85th minute before sealing the win with a fifth goal in the dying moments of the match, scoring in the 90+4th minute.
NUSC maintained control throughout the match, displaying superior ball possession and relentless attacking. Despite FWFC’s defensive efforts and several key saves by their goalkeeper, they were unable to break forward effectively and struggled to generate meaningful attacking chances.
Ngariyanbam Jenish Singh was named Player of the Match after scoring two crucial goals and playing a key role in NUSC’s attacking movements.
FWFC showed strong defensive discipline, with their goalkeeper making several important saves to prevent a heavier defeat. However, the home side struggled to create offensive opportunities, and their attack was largely contained by NUSC’s solid defensive structure.
In terms of team statistics, FWFC had 3 corners to NUSC’s 7 and committed 6 fouls compared to NUSC’s 5. Both teams played without yellow or red cards, and NUSC was awarded 1 penalty. The teams finished with similar offside numbers, with FWFC having 1 and NUSC 2.
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