Hat- trick of titles for Minerva Punjab
Minerva Punjab FC made it a hat- trick of Nike Premier Cup titles with a 4- 0 rout of firsttime finalists DSK Shivajians in Goa on Thursday.
The final was a one- sided affair sealed by goals from Lalchhanhima Sailo ( 14th), a brace from captain Moirangthem Thoiba Singh ( 62nd and 68th) and Hemam Bijio Singh ( 80th).
Minerva Punjab fielded the squad that beat Aizawl FC in the semi- finals while for DSK Shivajians, Tanmay Sunil Kumar was given a start replacing Karan Savio Balami.
Bijio Singh and Samson had chances early on for Minerva as Shivajians goalkeeper Rewang Dorjee Lepcha was kept busy.
Minerva made it 1- 0 in the 14th minute as midfielder Sailo cut in from the right and took his time before unleashing a left- foot shot into the corner of the net.
Shivajians coach Ramesh Bista could only look on as his team were thoroughly outplayed by Harpreet Bedi’s young guns.
DSK Shivajians began the second half on a better note and Minerva were made to defend. But Minerva hit back on the hour mark with substitute Isra Khan providing a cross into the box that Thoiba headed in well.
In the 68th minute, Sailo was brought down in the box and Thoiba stepped up to make it 3- 0 and there was time for a fourth as Bijio Singh tapped home from three yards out as they were 4- 0 up in the 80th minute.
Minerva laid siege to the Shivajians goal before the final whistle that helped them walk away with the silverware.