Action moments from the Group D match between OIL, Duliajan, and Indian National Football Club at Khuman Lampak main stadium in Imphal on Sunday. Pictures by Eastern Projections

Hailakandi/Imphal, Nov. 23: New Delhi Heroes and Oil India Ltd (OIL), Duliajan, entered the Group C and D finals of the preliminary knockout rounds of the 30th Federation Cup football tournament under way in Silchar and Imphal respectively.

New Delhi Heroes today outplayed Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), Mumbai, 2-1 at the Satindra Mohan Dev Stadium in Silchar. OIL, Duliajan, on the other hand, rode an extra time goal by Nigerian recruit Mbanyam Stephen Njoh to edge past Indian National FC, Delhi, 2-1 at Khuman Lumpak Stadium in Imphal in their penultimate group tournament matches.

The match in Silchar was 1-1 at half time with midfielder Fulchand Hembram drawing the first blood for ONGC with solo effort from the midfield onwards in the 26th minute. Their euphoria was cut short by Brazilian recruit Ituae D’Olivera of Delhi Heroes, who scored off a freekick in the 39th minute.

Earlier, ONGC squandered at least three golden opportunities to score in the first half.

Manish Khatri scored the second goal for New Delhi Heroes in the 47th minute off a spot kick.

The Delhi Heroes coach and the first foreign player of Mohun Bagan team, Chima Okorie of Nigeria, said after the match that his players have played excellent football and he was hopeful of defeating Assam State Electricity Board SC (ASEB), Guwahati, in the final of the group. He praised D’Olivera for his excellent run in the game.

New Delhi Heroes will play ASEB in the group final on Tuesday under floodlights at the same venue.

The Guwahati powermen, on Saturday, defeated Raghav Club, Haryana, 3-0.

Nitu Narzary scored the first goal for the ASEB in the 28th minute with a direct shot. Mani Kanta Brahma scored the second goal in the 67th minute while Sanjiba Rongpi scored the third off a pass from Bikash Narzinary seven minutes before the final whistle.

In Imphal today, OIL gained the upper hand in the 33rd minute when Jyotish Basumatary struck for the first goal. The lead continued till late into the second half until foreign recruit N.D. Opara netted in the equaliser for Indian National in the 87th minute, making no mistake in converting a penalty kick.

The regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw and the first 15-minute half of the extra time too remained a barren affair.

It was five minutes into the second 15 minutes of the extra time, when Njoh struck for the match-winning goal.

OIL will now meet Amity United, Haryana, in the group final on Tuesday. Amity United defeated Raj Milk, Bihar, 3-1 on Saturday.

There will be no match at either venue tomorrow.