Mon booked their place in the final of the 25th Dr. T. Ao Inter-District Football Championship on Monday with a 2-1 win over Peren at the Renpo Lu Sports Complex in Ungma, Mokokchung.
Eshong scored in the 30th and 86th minutes to send the defending champions through from the first semi-final. Peren controlled much of the possession and dictated the tempo, but Mon made the most of two key chances. Rangliakam equalised for Peren in the 61st minute, only for Eshong to strike late and settle the match.
Eshong puts Mon ahead against the run of play
Peren enjoyed long spells on the ball in the first half and looked comfortable moving play around the pitch. Despite that control, Mon took the lead in the 30th minute when Eshong beat the goalkeeper with a long-range strike.
That effort gave Mon a 1-0 lead at the break. With a spot in the final on the line, Peren came out for the second half needing a response.
Rangliakam brings Peren level
The equaliser arrived in the 61st minute when Rangliakam headed in a cross to make it 1-1. The goal rewarded Peren’s push to get back into the contest.
Peren continued to see more of the ball and set the pace for much of the second half. However, they could not turn that dominance into a second goal.
Eshong capitalises on defensive error
Mon found the winner in the 86th minute after a mix-up at the back. A pass from Mon put Peren’s defence under pressure, and a defender’s attempted clearance sent the ball towards his own goalkeeper instead.
Eshong reacted quickest to reach the loose ball before the advancing goalkeeper and chipped it over him into the net. The finish completed his brace and restored Mon’s advantage with only minutes left to play.
Peren had little time to recover. Mon saw out the closing stages to seal the 2-1 victory and keep their title defence alive.
Both sides arrived in form
Both teams entered the semi-final on the back of strong quarter-final wins. Mon advanced with a 4-2 victory over Longleng, where Eshong also scored twice alongside goals from Tingshak Konyak and L Nyamnyei. You can read more in Nutmeg Press’s report on Mon’s quarter-final win.
Peren reached the last four by beating Wokha 3-0, with Chingthaipou, Kenumdi, and Rangliakam all scoring in the second half. Nagaland Tribune’s quarter-final report covered Peren’s progression to the semi-finals.
Mon await Zunheboto or Tuensang
Mon will face either Zunheboto or Tuensang in the title decider. The second semi-final takes place on Tuesday, 27 October, at 5 pm IST at the Renpo Lu Sports Complex. The final will follow at the same venue on Thursday, 29 October, at 4 pm IST.
