Railways seal place in quarterfinals

Itanagar: Railways sealed their spot in the quarterfinals of the 2023-24 Santosh Trophy after getting the better of defending champions Karnataka by a solitary goal in their Group B match played at the Golden Jubilee Stadium in Itanagar on Thursday.

Subrata Murmu (53′) scored the only goal of the game in the second half, to inflict a defeat on Karnataka that puts their quarterfinal chances in serious jeopardy, as they have only been able to garner two points from four matches.

Facing a desperate Karnataka side, Railways defense held firm despite early pressure. Nikhil Raj Murugesh Kumar’s shot hit the post, and Vinith Venkatesh’s attempt was thwarted by goalkeeper Anupam Sinha. Monish Majumder made crucial blocks, denying Karnataka further chances.

In the second half, against the run of play, Railways took the lead. Murmu capitalized on a long ball, shrugged off Prabin Tigga, and slotted home. Karnataka fought back relentlessly, with Goutam Kujur and Sinha sustaining injuries in defence. Sinha’s heroic save denied Sheltohn Paul’s long-range effort, though he collided with the post.

Despite the setbacks, Sinha continued, albeit with a limp, as Railways held on for the win.