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The first Imphal Derby of the 2022-23 I-League season will take place on Sunday, December 11 as TRAU FC take on NEROCA FC at the Khuman Lampak Stadium in Imphal.
Both teams head into the contest after a mediocre start to the season and after six games in, there’s little to separate them in terms of points. While NEROCA are placed 11th with six points, TRAU have seven points and are in eighth place. Hence, it’s a big opportunity for either team to not just earn bragging rights over their local rivals, but also make a leap on the points table.
TRAU FC brought an end to their three-game winless run by beating an in-form RoundGlass Punjab side 2-0 on Thursday. The Red Pythons head coach L. Nandakumar Singh was overjoyed with the success and is hoping to repeat it on Sunday. “We hope to maintain our form and get the win tomorrow. I respect NEROCA, they are full of talented players. I expect a tough and high intensity game.”
Young winger Baoringdao Bodo, who made only his second start of the season against RoundGlass Punjab, expressed his excitement for derby day. “It’s always amazing to play with the support of our fans. We get an extra boost from them, so I hope we see them in large numbers for the derby tomorrow.”
“I’m very lucky to be playing for TRAU. I’m thankful to the coaches, staff and the management of the club for giving me this opportunity. I give my best for the team whenever I get the chance,” Bodo added.
NEROCA FC suffered their second straight loss, going down 0-1 to Aizawl FC on Thursday. Head coach Wangkhem Khogen Singh stated the long away trips were one of the reasons for his side’s underperformance. “It’s been tough psychologically and physically playing four away matches in a row. Even though we fought and gave our best, we lost three of them, winning just once.”
Regarding Sunday’s encounter, Khogen said, “We are fully prepared for the derby. We are happy to be back in Imphal and are targeting all three points against a good TRAU side tomorrow.”
NEROCA skipper David Simbo will take part in his first Imphal Derby but claimed that he’s no stranger to high-octane matches like these. “I’ve played a lot of derby matches in my career, so I know the importance of the game and what it means to the fans. We’re going to come out strong, show our character and try and win,” said the Sierra Leonean.
When asked about the mood in the camp, Simbo said, “Everyone is in good spirits. We’ve got a lot of Manipuri players in the team who know just how significant this derby is going to be.”
