There seems to be no stopping FC Raengdai! After making a historic winning debut in Durand Cup, the newest football sensation from Manipur continued their run, this time with a thrilling 4-3 win over TRAU FC in a much-anticipated Manipur derby on Monday.Before the packed crowd at Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal, Mridul Doley headed in a corner kick in the 79th minute to complete his hat-trick and help Raengdai edge TRAU and stay on their fairytale journey in football.The win took the debutants to top of Group D with six points from two matches, a start few would have predicted a week earlier. NEROCA sit second on one point from a single outing, with TRAU third, also on one point but in two games. Indian Navy occupy the fourth spot without a win to their name.Reangdai attacker Doley, who had provided the assist in the solitary goal that won them the game against Indian Navy, was the star from early on, scoring on either side of the half-hour to give Raengdai a comfortable lead.TRAU’s response arrived just before the interval through Chanam Akash Meitei, only for Chongtham Kishan Singh to restore the two-goal lead in first-half stoppage time. Afdal Varikkodan pulled one back within two minutes of the restart, and when Lanchungrei Pamei turned the ball into his own net in the 67th minute, parity had been restored for the second time on the day.However, Doley had the final word, completing a memorable hat-trick to send Raengdai in lead again, this time till the final whistle.Earlier, FC1 marked their Durand Cup debut with a spirited 2-1 comeback victory over Karbi Anglong Morning Star FC in a Group F fixture at Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati on Monday.Meanwhile, another debutants Langsning FC produced a sensational second-half display to cruise to a commanding 5-0 victory over Mumbay FC in a Group E fixture at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on the day.
