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HASC survives Vasco barrage

Special Correspondent

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

ON THE BALL:Satish (Jr) pulls off an acrobatic kick to score HASC's match-winner.

BANGALORE: HASC withstood a late Vasco SC barrage for a 2-1 win in the ONGC Second Division I League final round match.

But the win was shadowed by an after-match flare-up that resulted in some tense moments at the Football Stadium here on Thursday.

The Vasco players proved to be sore losers. Peeved at referee Amjad Khan Mansoori's (MP) decisions, the players heckled and pushed him around during and soon after the long whistle.

Even as KSFA officials rushed onto the field to escort the referee and the two linesmen off the ground, the crowd, infuriated at Vasco's unsportsmanlike behaviour, resorted to throwing chairs and water bottles at the Goan players.

Mediocre fare

The game barely rose above the mediocre. HASC played much below par, looked heavy footed and even before the crowds could settle down Vasco had struck. Taking a fine through by Koko Sakibo, Sibra Narzary neatly hoodwinked Bimal Minz and shot low and to the left of goalkeeper Amar Deb.

HASC retaliated in style. In the 20th minute, Xavier Vijayakumar floated into the far post from a free-kick and Fredrick Okwagbe headed past the outstretched hands of Siddesh Morje.

Jotin Singh almost gave the local side the lead before half-time but his snap shot just whizzed past the upright.

Changing ends, Satish (Jr), who has had a wonderful tournament thus far, pounced on a Rajendra Prasad rebound off the post to acrobatically flick into the net, in the 52nd minute. Fredrick failed to add to the tally when his on-the-run shot went wide of the near post off a Murali through.

Series of raids

Vasco hit back with a series of raids but just could not direct the shots into goal or beat Amar Deb.

Vasco, realising that time was running out, resorted to some fouls and even questioned referee Amjad on every decision.

But with the long whistle, the players turned unruly and shoved and pushed the referee around.

Javed strikes

In the earlier match, Malabar United hung onto an early O.K. Javed strike to put it across NISA (Manipur) 1-0.

This is Malabar United's second win from four matches for six points while NISA remains on one point.

HASC is firmly perched at the top with its fourth win in as many matches and has 12 points while Vasco is on six points.

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