Tamil Nadu start off with a big win

Railways edge past Delhi 1-0; Tripura score

  

Tamil Nadu started the match on an attacking note and never allowed their opponents to take control of the game. While Riju scored thrice, Suresh Kumar slotted a brace before Pradeep and Ravanan netted once each in the completely lop-sided contest.

Riju struck first in the 14th minute and Pradeep extended the advantage to 2-0 three minutes from the half-hour mark. Just before the lemon break Suresh Kumar added his name to the scoring sheet.

The goal-fest continued in the second-half too as Suresh completed his brace in the 54th minute and Riju found the back of the net in the 77th minute. Eight minutes from time Ravanan made it 6-0, while Riju capped a great day for the hosts with a goal in the 84th minute.

Former champions Railways bagged full points by defeating Delhi 1-0 through Abhishek’s 44th-minute strike in the cluster V match at Thiruvallore.

Mizoram win

In the Cluster III match played at Tiruchirappalli, Mizoram trounced Pondicherry 4-0.

Mizoram, who dominated the game from the kick-off, went into the lead through a 16th-minute goal from Rohming Thanga. Boosted by the early strike, Jeje Laleekhlua made it 2-0 for Mizoram midway through the first-half. Lalmuanpuia then netted 11 minutes after the break and Zaidinmawia Hamr scored from the spot in the last minute of regulation time.

Meanwhile, Chattisgarh and Chandigarh played out a goalless draw in a cluster I match at Coimbature.

Finally, Madhya Pradesh scored late to hold Jammu and Kashmir to a 1-1 draw in a cluster III match at Tiruchirappalli. Taufeeq’s 42nd-minute goal for Jammu was cancelled out by MP’s Athoiba Maitai three minutes from time.

In the day’s last match played in Chennai, Tripura scored twice through substitutes Paultu Dutta Choudhury (45th) and Rupak Majumder (69th) to beat Himachal Pradesh 2-0 in Cluster 8.