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At the start of the match, Minerva Punjab were placed third in the group table behind their opponents, Stadium Sports Foundation, who had won two out of two matches to sit at the top. To have any chance of qualification, Minerva Punjab FC had to beat the SSF team by a margin of atleast three goals and hope that Aizawl FC don’t get a better result against the last team in the table, Birachandra Memorial Sports Club.
With odds so tough and Minerva Punjab FC missing their first choice goalkeeper, Charles due to injury as well as first choice star striker, Himanshu Jangra due to a red card suspension, they took the field against SSF with an eye on the other tie between Aizawl FC and BMSC.
Minerva Punjab FC started the first half with calm and composed and started to build from the back. They controlled the game well and created quite a few chances but couldn’t get past the determined defense of SSF. After the normal 45 minutes of the first half, the score stood at 0-0 when the first half went into the stoppage time.
At the same time, Aizawl FC was leading 2-0 in the other game. As things stood, Minerva Punjab FC were going out of the tournament. However, the three times defending champions, Minerva Punjab FC had some other plans. In the first minute of the stoppage time, Tangva Ragui struck to give Minerva Punjab FC a 1-0 Lead. SSF had hardly recovered when Dhanachandra Singh struck again to give Minerva Punjab FC a lead of 2-0 in the stoppage time of the first half.
Minerva Punjab FC started the second half high on confidence. They struck immediately through Mehson Singh in the 47th Minute. They continued dominating the game without allowing the SSF any opportunity to strike back. Right in the 87th minute, Mehron Singh struck again to take the score to 4-0 and Minerva Punjab FC were now leading the race to the semifinals. Minerva Punjab FC finished it off in style by scoring two more goals through Lhunminthan in 88th minute and Mehson completing his hattrick by converting a spot kick in injury time. Minerva Punjab FC finished the match with a thumping victory by a margin of 6-0 while Aizawl FC could only manage a 3-2 win in the other match.
Group A finished with three teams i.e. Minerva Punjab FC, Aizawl FC and SSF tied on six points only for Minerva Punjab FC to qualify to the semis with s superior goal difference.
Minerva Punjab FC will face the winner of Group C in the semifinal on May 27.
