The Hindu : Sport / Football : Services steamrollers favourite Bengal to reach final

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Services steamrollers favourite Bengal to reach final

Amitabha Das Sharma

Sochungmi Raleng scores his second hat-trick to take his tally to nine goals

Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

PROLIFIC: Services’s Sochungmi Raleng, who scored his second hat-trick in three matches, on way to scoring his second goal against Bengal in the semifinals on Thursday. —

SRINAGAR: Sochungmi Raleng scored his second hat-trick in three matches as Services thrashed title favourite Bengal 4-1 in the first semifinals of the 62nd senior National football championship, for the Santosh Trophy, at the Bakshi Stadium here on Thursday.

The diminutive Army striker, continuing his brilliant form, scored his second set of three goals to take his tally to nine goals since the quarterfinals.

Unlike what he did against Kerala in Services’ 3-0 win in the second quarterfinal Group ‘A’ league match, Raleng did not score his three goals in succession against Bengal.

But his effort will still be credited as a hat-trick as this process is followed internationally.

Services made it to the final of the championship after a gap of 39 years (its last appearance was in 1969-70 at Nagaon in Assam).

Raleng definitely showed the knack of a striker converting opportunities with an uncanny proficiency but the chances were created by the alert Services midfield.

First strike

The first session gave an indication of things to come as Bengal failed to contain the runaway speed of Services attacks and, in the process, conceded a goal in the 22nd minute.

It made too many errors in the defence, allowing Services attackers the space in the box.

The fault lay mainly in the Bengal central defence — Kingshuk Debnath and Sheikh Ajim — fumbling with their interceptions.

Services found the mark after its striker Shaji D’Silva stole into the Bengal box playing a one-two-one with his midfield colleague Jiten Meitei.

Shaji’s attempt was saved by Bengal right-back Habibur Rehman, who had rushed in to the aid of his colleagues. Despite managing to clear, Habibur’s effort was not strong enough as the ball remained inside the Bengal box.

Raleng made most of the opportunity, running up to score with a right-footed drive.

Bengal players kept losing possession too easily as Services put up a hard chase whenever the ball reached the opponent players.

Unable to bring cohesion, Bengal ran up a further deficit in the 78th minute when defender Norgan Lama found the net with a rasping free-kick.

Lalkamal scores

Lalkamal brought Bengal briefly into the game making it 2-1 in the 80th minute.

But as Bengal went all out for the equaliser, Raleng kept scoring from the other end.

The nippy striker got his second goal in the 89th minute to make it 3-1 and completed Bengal’s woes with his third in injury time (90+3).

Friday’s semifinal: Punjab vs. Karnataka.

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