Difficult to look beyond Manipur

By Our Special Correspondent

DIPHU (ASSAM), MAY 28. Manipur's tried and tested system, developed over a period of time, will be put to severe test by Bengal as the two combatants square off in the final of the eighth senior National women's football championship at the Karbi Anglong Sports Association ground on Monday. Five-time champion Manipur, however, looks the best bet to retain the crown for the third consecutive year.

Two-time winner Bengal, which last won the title in 1996-97 at Haldia in Bengal, has not yet succeeded in finding a way to stop the all-conquering Manipur team. Will it be able to achieve this is the moot point on the eve of the summit clash.

Manipur has reached the final with a ruthless display. Its victories were achieved by huge margins, except against Maharashtra when it won 5-0 in the quarterfinal league. Manipur's forte is its speed. It has the ability to last the entire 80 minutes at the same pace with excellent positional play and accurate passing. The pressure the team can exert on the opposition is unbelievable. The Manipuri forwards and midfielders are accurate long-range shooters and the defenders are a tough lot.

On the minus side, Manipur's pattern is predictable. The team plays at the same pace and its attacking methods lack variation. The team has not yet come under pressure in the tournament and will like to have it that way.

Bengal, on the other hand, relies on individual flair and collective wisdom. Lacking the stamina of its famous rival, Bengal totally depends on its ability to surprise the opposition with its unpredictable nature of play.

Short, quick passes with positional play and the ability to control the speed of the game, could be the team's strategy against Manipur. What has been worrying Bengal most is the poor display by its defence where the experience of Chaitali Kar is badly missed. Bengal has two excellent midfielders in Alpana Seal and Pampa Sarkar and two good attackers in Sujata Kar and Sayanti Nandi.

The slightly-built Sujata Kar has been Bengal's prolific scorer in this tourney. Sujata has the uncanny knack of cashing in on half chances and is a dangerous customer anywhere near the box. She has the ability to dribble the ball in a tight situation and her ability to shoot with both legs makes her the most marked player.

Considering the teams' strengths and weaknesses, it would be difficult to look beyond Manipur.

Assam takes third place

Host Assam ended the tournament on a triumphant note by winning the third place play-off against Maharashtra 4-3 via penalty shoot-out today.

The two teams failed to resolve the issue in the 80-minute regulation time and 20- minute extra-time.

For Assam, Mamu Chaudang Gogoi, Anjana Das, Marium Topno and Baby Borgohain scored from the spot while Maria Rebello, Queenie Mendes and Suzy D'Costa were successful for Maharashtra. This victory would indeed give a fillip to Assam football.

In a match of fluctuating fortunes, both teams had a number of chances to score but the rival goalkeepers, Telina Pereira and Rekha Konwar, produced some stunning saves to keep the game alive.

Significantly, the game was conducted by women officials.

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