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Uzbekistan outplays TFA White

By S. Sabanayakan

Uzbek goalkeeper Alexander Labanov thwarts India TFA White's Vanlal Rova in their JRD Tata Cup league match at Jamshedpur on Friday. — Photo: Sushanta Patronobish

JAMSHEDPUR Sept. 19. India TFA White was just not good enough to earn a berth in the final of the J.R.D. Tata Cup International invitational football tournament. Uzbekistan outthought and outplayed India White 2-0 in ninth league game on Friday to seal a place in the title round.

The defeat left India with a very slim chance of making it to the Monday's final. The Uzbeks ended with eight points from two victories and two draws. The Indians ended with seven points from two wins, one draw and a loss.

The second finalist would be decided on Saturday when India TFA Blue and Iran clash in the concluding league game. A draw or a win for India Blue would lift India White to the final. Iran would have to triumph to advance.

India White's aspirations of making it to the summit clash today itself was dashed within seven minutes of the start. Its play maker Malsawma and Uzbek's Abdulmajid Yulchiev were given marching orders by Thai referee Natthanai Phaengsupha for tugging and shoving each other right from the start. The Uzbek's ploy was to irritate Malsawma and the red card bookings came as a boon for the visiting team.

Yulchiev had played only one match earlier against India Blue and was substituted 22 minutes after the halftime. This was his second game. The Indian coaching team should have foreseen this tactic and cautioned Malsawma from committing any transgression.

Coach Stephen Constantine blamed the red card bookings as `terrible and harsh.' "The decision ruined our game. At the most the referee could have cautioned both, for neither of them shown any intention of hurting each other,'' he bemoaned during the post match press conference.

The Uzbeks did come out with flying colours. Technically and tactically they were far superior. They were quick to the ball, played to a plan and outsmarted India White. Without Malsawma, the Indian attack moved in fits and starts. Captain Gouramangi Moirangtem Singh took upon himself to do the scheming. Gouramangi, a midfielder whose job was to snatch the ball and intercept rival moves, proved too inadequate to the task in hand.

India White mainly attacked down the right where Vanlal Rova and Jerry Zirsanga combined well. This meant the Indian forward movement become predictable making the task of rival defenders that much easier. Uzbekistan started in a 3-5-2 formation like India. The Indians were never allowed to come in with threatening moves. The rock solid Uzbek defence not only ensured this but used the long ball and diagonal high balls to good effect.

The two goals were products of quick counter attacks. Uzbekistan's first goal came in the 29th minute. Anzur Ismailov's through ball past an advanced Indian back four saw Abbas Abdullayev receiving in a seemingly off-side position. The Thai assistant referee, Prachya Permpanich, did not raise the flag and Abdullayev advanced and placed the ball into the Indian net.

The Uzbek's should have been 2-0 up four minutes before halftime. Ismailov snatched a ball in the midfield and put through Sadriddin Abdulayev on the right and the latter's long through to overlapping Shakhrukh Yuldashev was lobbed over an advanced Subrata Pal. The luck stayed with the Indians as the ball hit the bar and flew over.

India brought in Chitrasen Chandam Singh for Manjeet Singh and Subhas Chakraborty for Debabrata Roy in the midfield. Chakraborty, who is a regular with East Bengal, brought life on the left and the Indian attack gained the edge. India White controlled the game and pitched the tent for long periods in the rival territory but failed to open the Uzbek defence even once.

On the contrary, India, which needed just a draw to enter the final, conceded the second goal in the 74th minute. It was again owing to good defensive work by the Uzbeks. Chitrasen's pass to Rova on the right was intercepted by Sergey Arslanov who set Sadriddin on the left. This pass caught a well advanced Indian defenders on the wrong foot. Sadriddin drilled a diagonal low cross to the middle of the box. Shakhboz Umarov slammed the ball in before Pal could get to it. The fight just went out of India White players.

Saturday's match: India TFA Blue vs Iran.

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