The Hindu : Sport / Football : Sporting back among the elite

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Friday, May 27, 2005

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Sporting back among the elite

Sports Reporter

JAMSHEDPUR: Mohd. Sporting thwarted a spirited challenge from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (Bangalore) to force a 1-1 draw and remain on top in the final phase of the Division II National Football League.

The penultimate league encounter at Keenan Stadium here saw the Kolkata team get back into the elite group of the League with an unbeaten record.

Sporting is in an unassailable position with seven points (two wins and a draw), while the draw helped HAL escape the ignominy of finishing without a point.

The second team, which will join Sporting, will be decided on Friday when Air-India and Punjab Police (three points each) meet in the concluding match.

Sporting showed little interest in going all out and the Bangalore outfit took the lead in the 18th minute. Seasoned midfielder Rajendra Prasad ended HAL's goal drought by availing the rebound after Xavier Vijaya Thomas's shot came off Sporting custodian Gopal Das.

Sporting had an opportunity in the 35th minute, but the crosspiece came in the way of a cracking shot from Abdul Rauf Khan.

The sequence of missed chances continued for HAL in the second session too. Its attacks were blunted inside the opponent box owing to the absence of a good striker. The HAL midfield, activated by the abilities of Rajendra Prasad in the centre and Xavier Thomas on the right flank, performed creditably but their efforts were rendered useless by the underperforming attack combination.

Sporting found the equaliser in the 71st minute through Malswama, who scored off a Jiten Rai pass.

HAL had a few chances to forge ahead, but it failed to capitalise on them.

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