The Hindu : Sport / Football : Titanium survives a scare

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Sunday, May 01, 2005

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Sport - Football

Titanium survives a scare

Sports Reporter

THRISSUR: Defending champion Travancore Titanium survived a scare before winning 3-1 against Cosmos Football (Kottayam) in a second round match of the N.I. David memorial State Club football championship at the Corporation stadium here on Saturday.

Cosmos, after an insipid show in the first half, took the fight to the rival camp in the second half and with some luck could have even won the match. Titanium was far from impressive and its frailties in defence were exposed by the Cosmos forwards.

Monotonous affair

The only high point was the twin strike by striker Ebin Rose. Things began gloomily for the Kottayam side when Ebin Rose lobbed over the Cosmos goalkeeper's head in the sixth minute to open scoring for Titanium. Ebin scored his second goal off a spectacular volley from 25 yards in the 38th minute as Titanium led 2-0 at half-time.

In the second half, Cosmos played positively from the start and pulled one back in the 48th minute. The nimble-footed Umesh's darting run ended when Titanium defender Jayakumar fouled him just outside the penalty box. Midhin Gosh converted the freekick. The goal sparked off a string of goalbound moves from the Kottayam side. The ageing Titanum defence was stretched as Cosmos strikers — Umesh, Joby Philip and Anish — broke freely into the box.

Luck deserts Kottayam

It was luck that prevented the Kottayam from scoring the equaliser. Striker Joby Philip missed an easy chance when he shot wide from close in the 60th minute and Umesh wasted another opportunity in the 65th minute when he ballooned the shot over the bar. Titanium coach Gee Varghese pulled out two defenders and introduced two strikers and the move clicked.

The Thiruvananthapuram side slowed down the pace and gradually wrested control of the proceedings. The Kottayam side ran out of steam and Titanium scored its third goal through Shahjahan. Ebin Rose did the spadework for the goal as his precise centre found the unmarked Shahjahan who made no mistake in the 83rd minute.

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