Indian Navy FT staged a dramatic late comeback to defeat home side TRAU FC 2-1 and secure a quarterfinal berth from Group F in the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium.
Despite trailing for most of the game, goals from Pintu Mahata in the 87th minute and Sreyas V.G in injury time overturned Moirangthem Nelson Singh’s 29th-minute opener for TRAU. The win took the Navy men to the top of Group F with seven points, one ahead of Real Kashmir FC.
TRAU coach Thangjam Saran Singh made one forced change, replacing suspended captain Shitaljit Atom with Dhanachandra Mutum, while Navy coach Raman Rai fielded an unchanged lineup.
The match began with Navy pressing high and attacking with intent through the trio of Vijay Marandi, Roshan Panna, and Sreyas V.G, but TRAU’s counterattacks looked threatening. Against the run of play, Jenish Singh’s long ball set up Yumnam Monis Singh, whose cross was calmly slotted home by Nelson Singh to give the hosts the lead.
Navy piled on the pressure in the second half, coming closest when defender Adarsh Matummal’s audacious 40-yard free kick struck the inside of the post, only for the rebound to be saved by TRAU goalkeeper Sapam Nongpoknganba Singh.
The breakthrough finally came in the 87th minute when Sreyas played in Pintu, who toe-poked home the equalizer. In the dying moments, C. Pradeesh delivered a looping cross into the box, met acrobatically by Sreyas for the winning goal, sealing Navy’s place in the knockout stages and silencing the Imphal crowd.
All 43 matches of the Durand Cup are being broadcast live on Sony Sports Network and streamed on SonyLiv.
