Imphal, Dec. 28: Imphal East District Football Association edged past Imphal West District Football Association by 2-1 goals to claim the champions title of the 23rd Junior Boys’ Inter-District Football Tournament at Khuman Lampak main stadium.

The Imphal West team who had a brilliant run in the tournament failed to rise to the ultimate occasion.

Both teams went for the kill from the very beginning but Imphal East scored the opener as Md Tajuddin rattled the Imphal West net in the 19th minute. Imphal West pushed up the tempo and fetched the equaliser in the 21st minute as M. Dhananjoy Singh pushed home a goal off a corner to level scores at the end of first half. Both teams continued to make several inroads into the opposition territory.

However the crucial goal went in favour of Imphal East in the 55th minute as Md Imran Khan bulldozed the Imphal West defence collecting a cross from the right flank. Imphal East District player N. Bikramjit Singh got a yellow card.

Later, All Manipur Football Association president A. Santoshkumar Singh gave away the trophies to the teams and he declared the tournament close.