Arunachal Pradesh’s football team secured their spot in the semifinals of the third North East Games 2024 Football tournament by defeating Tripura with a commanding 4-1 victory at the NAPTC Stadium in Nagaland on Thursday.

Rahul Singpho ignited Arunachal’s momentum by breaking the deadlock with a goal in added time (40+2 mins) of the first half, putting his team ahead 1-0 at halftime, as reported.

The second half saw Arunachal continue their dominance as Tame Agung converted a spot kick in the 44th minute, followed by Tagru James extending the lead to 3-0 with a goal in the 55th minute.

However, Tsewang Dorjee sealed Arunachal’s victory with a fourth goal in the 82nd minute.

The first semifinal is slated between Nagaland and Manipur, while Arunachal will face off against Mizoram in the second semifinal, both scheduled for today, 22nd March.

Additionally, Arunachal continued to shine in various sporting disciplines, adding 15 more medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 13 bronze) on day three of the games, bringing their total medal count from overnight 17 to an impressive 31.

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu extended his congratulations to the football team on their remarkable journey to the semifinals, praising their teamwork and resilience on the field.

He wished them the best of luck for the upcoming matches, underscoring their potential to make the state proud.

The stage is set for an exhilarating showdown as the semifinals approach, with teams gearing up to leave their mark on the prestigious tournament.