The Hindu : Sport / Football : Shivalkar is Air-India’s hero

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Tuesday, Dec 18, 2007
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Shivalkar is Air-India’s hero

Special Correspondent

This is Air-India’s first victory in six matches
The win takes AI’s tally to seven points

MUMBAI: Skipper Naresh Shivalkar played an inspired game in the frontline to guide Air-India to its first victory in six matches (seven points), scoring the ONGC Cup I-League match-winner against Kingfisher East Bengal.

He buried a thundering shot on the run into the net, in the 62nd minute, leaving India’s best goalkeeper Subrata Pal clutching empty air.

Early onslaughts

AI withstood early EB onslaughts, initiated by Alvito D’Cunha’s exquisite left-footed passes and Mehtab Hossein’s darting runs into spaces. Foreign strikers Edmilson Pardal and MacDonald Mukanshi whipped shots goalwards as the home team gained firm control over the match.

AI, dangerous at the Cooperage against any side, went ahead in the 62nd minute after an action-packed first half, then worked tirelessly to retain ball possession till the end.

Shivalkar, named ‘man of the match’, hovering around the goalmouth on the lookout for the half-chance, timed his diagonal run from the left, as Vijith Shetty swung the ball across the goalmouth, and connected first-time to beat goalkeeper Subrata Pal.

Pal to the rescue

To his credit, Pal had plenty to do to keep EB in the hunt. When Bashiru sneaked in behind the defence to latch onto an Uttam Singh long throw-in, the goalkeeper blocked the threat.

The Nigerian then jabbed a left-footed shot into the post past an unsighted goalkeeper.

Diving save

Pal calmed the nerves in the EB dugout with a diving save to avert a self-goal after defender Soumik Dey, under pressure to clear a Uttam throw-in, almost headed into his own net.

Later, Shivalkar turned his marker inside out with a trap and feint and seeing defenders rushing towards him, tried to beat Pal with a placement to the right corner.

The ball lobbed onto the crossbar and bounced back into play.

Power-packed volley

Pal then saw a power-packed volley by Samson Singh on the run swirl across and above the upright.

AI’s first win boosts its points tally to seven (from six matches), the same as East Bengal.

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