The Hindu : Kerala gets the better of Bengal

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 28, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

Kerala gets the better of Bengal

By Amitabha Das Sharma

Kerala forward T. Usman (centre) scoring the all-important goal in the Santosh Trophy quarterfinal league against Bengal at Imphal on Sunday. Kerala beat Bengal 3-2. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

IMPHAL OCT. 27. Defending champion Kerala reasserted its supremacy over Bengal in the National level beating it 3-2 in a keenly contested group A match in the quarterfinal league of the 58th National football championship for the LG Santosh Trophy here at the Main Stadium in Khuman Lampak Sports Complex on Sunday.

In another league encounter Maharashtra improved its semifinal chances with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the last year's semifinalist Railways, later at the same venue.

In a battle for survival, Bengal lost out on all counts facing a technically superior opponent in Kerala. With Bengal completing its league campaign tallying only three points it gained from a laboured win against modest Assam in the inaugural encounter on Friday, the former champion's hopes of making it to the semifinals is all but over.

The win put Kerala in a commanding position in the three-team group and the team has almost ensured a slot in the semifinals. The defending champion next plays Assam in the concluding group league match and a draw is sufficient to have the former sailing into the last-four stage.

As the tables show, Bengal can hope to qualify on a better goal difference only if Assam beats Kerala 1-0.

Forwards Sylvester Ignatious and T. Usman contributed most to Kerala's victory showing enough felicity. While Kerala's main striker Asif Saheer failed to score, Usman played the role of a super-sub as his 88th minute header realised the win for his team. Usman came in to bolster the Kerala attack replacing an off-colour Abdual Hakkim in the 57th minute. The 22-year-old forward, having registered for Titanium Club this season, impressed all with his great dribbling and speed. Usman contributed in both the second session goals — the two teams were tied 1-1 at half time — first as a provider releasing Ignatious to score the lead for Kreala in the 59th minute and then flew in to score the crucial winner.

Bengal found the lead in the 20th minute and set to enjoy the initial exchanges in the first session. With Kerala still struggling to find its rhythm, Bengal's Chandan Das scored the first goal from a good counter attack that built up from the right. Dipendu Biswas, hardly ever getting to show his famed form, headed back a cross to Das, who was lurking unmarked on top of the box. The central-half unleashed a volley as the ball hit the under side of the crosspiece and rebounded inside the goal before bouncing out. Delhi referee Rizwan ul-Haq signalled a goal as the Kerala players vehemently opposed it.

The dispute continued even after the match but as the final verdict favoured the Southern powerhouse, there were no cries against claimed `injustice'. Coach M. Pitambaran accepted the incident as "a part of the game'' while maintaining that both referee and his assistant on the line — Gokulananda Sharma — were in no position to judge it clearly.

Bengal shrunk into a defensive shell trying to protect the slender lead. The goal stimulated a transformation in the opponent ranks as Kerala broke the shackles to snatch the initiative. The Kerala attack — employing three forwards in Saheer, Igantious and Hakkim — gained its rhythm in the middle stages of the first session as the three took turns in trying to breach the Bengal defence.

Kerala equalised in the 31st minute through the crafty State Bank of Travancore striker, Ignatious. This set the tone for the things to come. The second session belonged to Kerala. Having the senior most player of the team, Suresh Babu, in the role of the central half, Kerala used international K. Ajayan as a sniper. As coach Pitambaran had to explain later, Ajayan successfully performed as an interceptor with Bengal preferring to play long lobs from the deep.

Getting all its efforts frustrated in the second session, Bengal began playing rough with its players going for the opponents' bodies instead of the ball. Among the worst offenders, Chandan Das escaped with a yellow card despite pushing and swearing at referee, Haq, after the latter had booked

substitute Anupam Sarkar for an infringement in the 28th minute.

Bengal seemed to unsettle the Kerala players and effected the equaliser through substitute Sandip Das in the 79th minute. But Kerala was in no mood to be let down and found winner within four minutes with Usman nodding home an Ignatious cross with a diving effort. For all his good efforts Usman received the award of the most valuable player of the match. Unwilling to accept defeat Bengal coach Subrato Bhattacharya blamed poor refereeing for the team's undoing. He said that the "first and the third

goals were off-sides'' while arguing that Bengal never had the best side in the tournament. The coach hauled up the state governing body —

Indian Football Association — for being lenient and not putting enough

pressure on the big clubs of the State to release "better players''. He said that the IFA should now realise the folly and take strong action against the defaulting clubs.

Naushad nets winner

In the other match of the day, Maharashtra got the better of Railways in a group B encounter. The contest, hampered by lack of initiative and imagination on both sides, made the contest a dull affair.

Railways, which reached the semifinals last year, could hardly justify its status and remained on the receiving end for most of the match. Maharashtra gained from a set-piece situation as Naushad Moosa headed home a corner in the 37th minute scoring the all-important goal.

The win put Maharashtra on top of the table with four points while ensuring the exit of Railways. Services, which drew against Maharashtra 1-1 in the

earlier match, needs to beat Railways by a margin of two or more goals in

the last league match on Tuesday to steal a march over Maharashtra.

In the two league matches scheduled on Monday, last year's runner-up Goa starts its group C campaign against Punjab while in a group D encounter Tamil Nadu takes on Orissa.

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