SHILLONG: 20th April 2022 (PTI Source)
In the night match, Assam and Meghalaya played to a 1-1 draw at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. Assam's Figo Syndai scored the opening goal, while Meghalaya's Hardy Cliff Nongbri scored from the penalty spot. For Rajasthan, Youraj Singh and Imran Khan scored the shot.
Meghalaya topped Rajasthan 3-2 in the Santosh Trophy National Football Championship this Monday, while Kerala recorded their second consecutive win with a 2-0 victory over West Bengal in the 75th edition of the Santosh Trophy National Football championship.
Fabio Syndai put two goals, while Meghalaya's Hardy Cliff Nongbri scored from the penalty spot for the 2-1 win.
In Group A, Kerala overcame Tamil Nadu by a 2-1 scoreline after two goals from TK Jesin and PN Noufal.
In the 2nd minute, at the Kottapadi Stadium, Youraj gave Rajasthan a pretty early lead. He was stationed near post to provide a headed flick-on to a long throw-in from the near touchline.
The visitors were relentless in their efforts to break down the defence of Meghalaya, and they finally succeeded during the second half.
In the 25th minute, when Figo Syndai equalised for Meghalaya with a left-footed shot from an acute angle outside the box, Parity was restored.
Gajraj Singh (left) would have been dejected after being beaten at long range by Brandon Bye.
Within the following 10 minutes, Rajasthan got another chance to retake their lead when Goutam Bissa passed Youraj Singh through on goal, but Youraj failed to control the ball in the box at the last second.
The Meghalaya goal-keeper, Frolicson Dkhar, came out swiftly to steal the ball from Youraj's feet and make a comfortable save.
The 39th minute saw Figo Syndai notched up, and Meghalaya scored the match's second goal.
The Rajasthan team was caught in a counterattack when Syndai received the ball at his back and played it on goal with a well-weighted through ball behind the defence, and he made no mistake in front of goal as Meghalaya went into halftime with a lead.
In the 56th minute, Pakistan's Iqbal Muhammad forced the issue when Rajasthan United increased their attempts for an equaliser on the other side of the break.
Imran raced on to score the rebound and level the game once again after an acrobatically swerving long-range shot was blocked by Dkhar.
In the 63rd minute, there was thrilling action once again when Meghalaya won a penalty kick which was a result of Ankit Sharma's fouled tripping of substitute Stephanson Pale inside the area.
Hardy, the Meghalaya skipper, stepped up to take the penalty and clinically slotted it into the bottom corner after turning Gajraj Singh the wrong way.
As the match swayed back and forth between the two sides in the remaining half-hour period, Meghalaya held on to win it, whereas Rajasthan suffered a second straight defeat.