Dhananjoy singh

Khuman Lampak Main Stadium: NEROCA FC snatched a dramatic 1-1 draw against 10-man TRAU FC in their Group E opener as the Imphal Derby lived up to its billing in the 134th Durand Cup at the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium here on Wednesday. Khunjamayum Raj Singh’s second-half goal gave TRAU the lead, but a stoppage-time equaliser by Arunkumar Singh denied them all three points in a fiercely contested encounter.

The match kicked off with NEROCA FC pressing high and dictating tempo early on. Their first real chance came in the opening minutes when skipper Angom Kinesh Singh’s shot was blocked by TRAU defender Rakesh, and Mark Harrison fired the rebound wide.

As the game progressed, TRAU grew into the contest, finding their rhythm in midfield and enjoying a spell of possession, though both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances. TRAU focused on a possession-based approach, while NEROCA looked to hurt them on the counter. Despite flashes of attacking intent, neither side registered a shot on target in the first 30 minutes.