Maharashtra enters quarterfinal

By M.R.Praveen Chandran

CHALAKUDY, APRIL 8. Maharashtra became the last team to enter the quarterfinals league but it did it in style, hammering Orissa 5-1 in the pre- quarterfinals of the 56th National football championship for the Santosh Trophy at the Carmal stadium on Saturday.

Playing a free flowing game, Maharashtra crushed its opponent which missed its key strikers Laxman Chatterjee and Kapur Chand Yadav. The Orissa attack lost its efficiency due to this and from the start it was pushed on to the back foot. The Orissa defence and the midfield performed disastrously and it was only because of the fine efforts of goalkeeper, Anindya Deb, which prevented a bigger margin of victory for Maharashtra.

Strikers Najeeb and Manjith Singh punched holes in the Orissa defence with their speed and skill. There was no dearth of passes for the strikers from the middle as Aqued Ansari and Khalid Siddique were at their creative best. The Orissa defence was not up to the task and it was only the shoddy work of Maharashtra strikers which saved them from the early blushes.

However, the rampant Maharashtrians could not be denied the goal they deserved. Najeeb ridded in a Khalid Siddique's floater to open scoring in the 22nd minute. Khalid Siddique - Abbas Ali move from the middle resulted in the second Maharashtra goal, with Manjith Singh giving the finishing touches in the 30th minute. However, Orissa scored against run of play with a fast counter. Kalumani Sahoo's sustained run on the left shook the Maharashtra defence and his centre was topped in by Nipendra Das in the 32rd minute.

Najeeb was in thick of action again as he beat the Orissa off- side trap to lob the ball over advancing goalkeeper's head in the 35th minute. It was Maharashtra, all the way in the second half but the casual approach of the strikers inside the rival penalty box spoiled the good work of the midfielders. Substitute striker Herbert Philip wasted at least three chances and twice he was denied by the `bar'. Najeeb also was inconsistent but made amends later when he scored the team's fifth goal with a solo effort in the 79th minute. In between Abbas Ali scored the fourth goal when he nodded in the rebound after goalkeeper Anindya Deb has stopped a stiff shot from Aqueel Ansari.

Orissa did nothing of note, except playing second fiddle to its opponent. However, Megharai Tudu missed the rare opportunity his side got as he ballooned a shot over from close.

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Section  : Sport
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