Prosenjit Chakraborty's hat-trick went in vain as Harimau Muda rode on some fine strikes on either side of half-time to down AIFF XI 6-3 in a Group A match of the Asia Champions Trophy here today.
All of Prosenjit's hat-trick goals came from the spot while for the visitors, Najmuddin Samant notched a brace in his side's resounding win.
The match started at a frenetic pace and stayed such throughout the first period with as many as five goals being scored and two sending offs. It all started in the 6th minute when Harimau Muda's Hafiy Haikal Ismail nodded in a corner into the roof of the net to put the visitors in front.
But the Malaysian outfit failed to protect their advantage, committing a foul on AIFF XI midfielder Anirudh Thapa inside the box eight minutes later. The referee had no hesitation in pointing towards the spot. Chakraborty stepped up and made no mistake.
Harimau took three minutes to go in front again. Najmuddin Samant leaped to send home a floater from the right.
The match and its pace took a turn when, much to disappointment of the crowd, referee Thoriq issued marching orders to Amit Tudu. From the resultant free kick, Dinesh Rajasingam curled in a low shot to the keeper's left.
Down to 10 men and trailing by two goals, the boys in blue had their backs to the wall.
Of the flurry of raids at rival citadel by the blue brigade, Thapa was brought down once again inside the box. Another spot kick and Chakraborty did his reputation no harm tucking in a low shot into the right corner.
Jerry's short corner was fed back to him and from a diagonal angle just outside the box the Mizoram lad tried his luck, which forced the visitors to make a goalline clearance.
Tantalisingly poised, the match entered its half way mark. The hosts pushed hard for the equaliser but the visitors defended sturdily.
Against the run of play, Najmuddin scored his second making a solo run inside the box and turning his marker to poke home with Jayananda Singh diving for a last-ditch interception.
