Manipur lifted the Junior Boys’ National Football Championship for the Dr BC Roy Trophy (Tier 1) after a gap of 25 years, registering a convincing 3-0 win over defending champions West Bengal in the final held at the Guru Nanak Dev University Sports Complex on Wednesday.
Dominating both halves of the title clash, Manipur struck early through Lourembam Naocha Singh in the 17th minute before Ngayungmi Kashung doubled the lead in the 37th. Amom Krish Singh completed the victory with a stoppage-time goal, capping off a memorable campaign for the North Eastern side.
Both teams came into the final with unbeaten records, having scored 13 goals apiece during the tournament. But in the end, it was Manipur who rose to the occasion with superior intensity, tactical discipline and attacking flair.
The breakthrough came when Khutleibam Sultan sprinted down the right flank and sent in a sharp low cross which was expertly controlled by Naocha Singh before firing a powerful left-footed strike past Bengal custodian Suva Barai.
With momentum on their side, Manipur maintained control through well-coordinated pressing and quick passing. The second goal arrived from another Sultan delivery, this time headed on target by Yumnam Sonamani. Though Barai managed a save, Kashung reacted quickest to slot home the rebound.
West Bengal, led by tournament top-scorer Rajdeep Paul, struggled to find rhythm. Paul, who netted seven times en route to the final, was closely marked and had limited impact. Their best opportunity came in the 80th minute when Rintu Malik found Paul with a through pass, but Manipur defender Alex Oinam produced a vital block.
Any hopes of a late Bengal comeback were dashed in stoppage time. Sonamani’s clever pass released Krish Singh, who calmly finished to notch his sixth goal of the tournament and seal the result for Manipur.
With this win, Manipur not only claimed the prestigious trophy but also underlined their status as one of the powerhouses in Indian youth football.
