The Hindu : Pax makes it to final phase

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 31, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

Pax makes it to final phase

CHENNAI, MARCH 30. Sebastiao Endro's timely return to form with a hat-trick propelled Pax of Nagao to a flattering 5-0 win over Chennai Customs at the Nehru Stadium on Saturday, an outcome that instantly put the Goan team into the final phase of the second division NFL from Group I.

Bhratri Sangha, Kolkata is the other qualifier. Both teams garnered nine points from their three wins each but, thanks to the final day's show, Pax had a superior `goal difference' to end up Group leader.

The last encounter contrary to expectations was a big let down. Customs failed, and miserably at that. Already without key players Nigerian Onyaka and goalkeeper Anil Kumar (both received red cards in previous match), the team's confidence shook further when it lost the services of stand-in goalkeeper Kishore Kumar to back injury from a nasty fall while collecting a high ball early in the contest. With none to replace him, a non-goalkeeper (Ajith) had to man the goal.

Customs felt peeved that Referee Subrata Das let that incident pass without pulling up the perpetrator. By then Menino Fernandes in a one-two with the Nigerian, Amaechi Nwabunwanne had put Pax up (21st min).

Be that as it may, Customs' approach went wayward. Basheer Ahmed was off colour, so too was midfielder Ravichandran (both had to be substituted). All this in the face of Pax being on over-drive mode.

When Venkatesh made the faux pas of pulling down Sebastiao to concede a penalty, which Bibiano converted (72nd), Customs virtually threw in the towel. Soon, in the space of four minutes, Sebastiao struck thrice. A dejected Customs lost Kumar (red card for foul on Amaechi) in this midst, and its tale of woe was complete.

Meanwhile, the AIFF secretary, Alberto Colaco, speaking from Margao said the final phase of the NFL second division would be organised by the Pondicherry Football Association from April 14 to 30. Mr Colaco, who made a personal inspection of the arrangements there on Friday, said it would be a round robin affair involving eight teams, four seeded _ Air India (Mumbai), State Bank of Travancore (Thiruvananthapuram), Dempo (Goa) and Indian Bank (Chennai) _ and rest being the qualifiers, Pax and Bhratri Sangha from Chennai Group I and Indian National and BMFC from Delhi Group II.

Final standings in Chennai (read as team, matches played, won, lost, drawn, goals for, goals against, points): 1. Pax of Nagoa 4-3-1-0-8-3-9; 2. Bhratri Sangha 4-3-1-0-5-2-9; ; 3. Central Railway 4-2-2-0-6-4-6; 4. Chennai Customs 4-1-3-0-3- 7-3; 5. Mizoram Police 4-1-3-0-4-10-3.

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