The Hindu : Sport / Football : HAL makes semifinals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 30, 2004

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Sport - Football

HAL makes semifinals

BANGALORE, JULY 29. Local favourite HAL held its nerve to edge past a dogged KSP 2-1 and entered the semifinals of the Puttaiah memorial Cup league for the super-division teams at the Football Stadium here on Thursday.

HAL topped Group `A' with seven points while SAI secured the second spot and a semifinal berth with five points after being held to a 1-1 draw by LRDE earlier in the afternoon.

HAL had to endure a barren first half as Dayanand and Kenneth Onu failed to move in cohesion. Their bid to find each other with neat crosses came unstuck near the rival goalmouth and KSP breathed easy at the break. However, in the second half, the substitutes struck gold for HAL as Santosh Kiran, replacing Rajendra Prasad, converted Dayanand's corner kick in the 71st minute.

The script changed briefly when KSP's Vinod Kumar's 25-yard free-kick cannoned in past HAL goalkeeper Mondel in the 83rd minute. KSP earned the free-kick after HAL's Gift Raikar `handled' the ball and the equaliser stoked HAL's competitive edge.

It was the turn of another substitute — William, who stepped in for Murali — to guide the aircraftmen to their second victory from three matches. William latched on to a Kenneth long pass and weaved his way in from the right flank and sent home the ball past KSP goalkeeper Nagendra, seconds before the final whistle.

Earlier, SAI and LRDE were locked in a 1-1 draw. C. Prakash scored for SAI in the 30th minute while Satish equalised for LRDE in the 61st minute.

KSP, with four points, and LRDE (one point), failed to make the semifinal grade.

The Group `B' qualifiers will be known on Friday while the semifinals will be held on Sunday and Monday. — Our Sports Reporter

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