CHENNAI : City FC extended their lead to eight points after a 2-1 win against Manipur’s Neroca FC in the I-League at Nehru Stadium in Coimbatore on Sunday. Chennai rode on goals from Roberto Eslava and Nestor Jesus in either half to register their fifth win in six matches. Neroca got one back from Singham Subhash Singh but it was not enough.
The win takes Chennai to 16 points from six games at the top. Neroca remain in sixth position with five points from six games. Jesus was adjudged Hero of the Match. Sandro it was in the 15th minute whose delivery from a corner resulted in a melee inside the Neroca box. Chennai centre-back Eslava reached the loose ball and stabbed it into the back of the net.
Nestor missed what he would consider a sitter in the 25th minute for a chance to double the lead. A wonderful cross from the left by Kamraj on the overlap flew across the face of Italian keeper Boerchio’s goal to find Romario, who laid it first-time for the Spaniard.
It was time for Chennai’s Spanish force to make a mark again. After a failed Neroca attack, Edwin Vanspaul caught Nestor’s run and delivered a long ball. Once Nestor had beaten the off-side trap, he never looked like missing. Neroca kept trying, but one goal was all that they managed. Neroca pulled one back in the 66th minute. A floated ball from the right seemed harmlessly heading towards the Chennai defenders. Subash had the ball falling favourably. He made no mistake and bulged the Chennai net.
Strong reply by Tamil Nadu S Radhakrishnan’s 81 propelled Tamil Nadu to 256 for 6 against Hyderabad on the third day of the Col CK Nayudu Trophy U-23 Elite Group A match played at ICL Sankar N a g a r g r o u n d s i n Tirunelveli.
Brief scores: Hyderabad 282 vs TamilNadu 256/6 in 124 ovs (S Radhakrishnan 81, K Mukunth 61, S Swaminathan 42 batting;Rajamani Prasad 3/32).
Manav shines for colts Manav Parakh’s 80 and S Sri Abisek’s 66 helped Tamil Nadu post 252 for 7 in 94 overs against Hyderabad on the first day of a South Zone Vijay Merchant Trophy U-16 match played at Gymkhana Ground in Hyderabad.
Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 252/7 in 94 ovs (Manav Parakh 80, S Sri Abisek 66; Kamal Sawariya 4/47) vs Hyderabad.
Bhavani bags gold
CA Bhavani Devi won a gold medal in the Open women’s sabre event of the Commonwealth Fencing Championship held at Canberra in Australia. In the final, Bhavani Devi defeated England’s Emily Ruaux 15-12. She is the first woman from India to win the gold.