Lakhipuronline Digital Desk, February 7, 2026: The vibrant sports arena of Jiribam is currently buzzing with palpable excitement and immense local pride as the highly prestigious 20th Thokchom Radhamani Memorial Senior Football Tournament 2025-26 officially reaches its thrilling business end. In a high-stakes, action-packed quarter-final knockout match held today at the bustling Jiribam Higher Secondary School playground, Oriental Club Babupara displayed remarkable skill, tactical brilliance, and sheer tenacity. They successfully secured their well-deserved spot in the highly anticipated semi-finals by narrowly defeating a resilient L.F.C Lungreizang side with a tight 2-1 scoreline.
Flawlessly organized by the dedicated All Jiribam Sports Association (AJSA), this memorial tournament has firmly remained a massive centerpiece of local sports and community gathering since its grand kickoff on January 30th. Today's crucial match was a brilliant testament to the rapidly rising standard of professional football in the Jiribam region, featuring intense tactical play, robust defending, and a spectacular display of raw athletic talent from both competing sides. The hard-fought victory for Oriental Club Babupara marks a highly significant milestone in their current campaign as they confidently move one crucial step closer to lifting the prestigious championship trophy.
Match Highlights: A Thrilling Tale of Two Halves
The crucial quarter-final game began with Oriental Club Babupara winning the all-important coin toss and strategically choosing their preferred side to defend, while L.F.C Lungreizang energetically started the proceedings with the opening kick-off. The Babupara side didn't take long to assert their early offensive dominance on the pitch. Ejuawangbe brilliantly broke the stubborn deadlock early in the 13th minute with a clinical and powerful finish, putting Oriental Club comfortably ahead and shifting the momentum. However, the early lead was surprisingly short-lived as L.F.C Lungreizang fought back valiantly with rapid counter-attacks. Their relentless persistence paid off in the 34th minute when Gaichanglung beautifully found the back of the net with a stunning strike, bringing the scoreboard to a tense 1-1 draw just before the referee's half-time whistle.
Returning from the break, the second half saw a noticeably more aggressive and tactically sound Oriental Club. The ultimate decisive moment of the match came swiftly in the 39th minute when Rakib scored an absolutely brilliant goal, successfully reclaiming the crucial lead for Babupara. Despite several frantic, high-energy attempts from the Lungreizang forwards to equalize in the thrilling closing stages, the rock-solid Oriental Club defense held exceptionally firm until the final whistle, officially sealing their glorious 2-1 victory.
Professional Officiating and Upcoming Fixtures
The high-pressure knockout match was very smoothly and fairly conducted under the strict supervision of Centre Referee Ikbal, who was actively supported on the sidelines by Assistant Referees Sajamal Chowdary and Theophil. Amazing Pamei served efficiently as the reserve referee for the encounter. The commendable discipline maintained on the pitch perfectly reflected the high professional standards consistently upheld by the AJSA throughout this memorial tournament.
"The incredible level of competition this year has been truly extraordinary," noted a passionate local sports enthusiast present at the ground. "Every single team is playing with a deep sense of pride, and Oriental Club’s fantastic performance today clearly shows they are serious contenders for the championship title."
What's Next for the Tournament?
With the semi-final line-ups now rapidly taking clear shape, passionate football fans across the district are eagerly looking forward to the very first semi-final match. On February 9, the formidable RYC Ramgaizang will fiercely face off against the talented Khasi Youth Club (KYC), Kamargha. The highly anticipated match is officially scheduled to kick off at exactly 2:00 PM at the very same venue. Given the massive momentum and growing popularity of the ongoing tournament, a record-breaking turnout of enthusiastic spectators is highly expected to gather and witness the epic battle for a coveted place in the grand finale.
✍️ Published by Lakhipuronline Team