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Football
FC Kochin holds Churchill Brothers
By Our Special Correspondent
KOCHI, JAN. 6. FC Kochin found its touch at the nick of time to avoid what looked to be a certain defeat at the hands of Churchill Brothers, Goa in the VI National football league at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium here on Sunday. Joshiah Seton, its Liberian striker, was the hero of the home side as it rebounded well to nullify Rajesh Meetei's lead goal in the 34th minute.
But at the start and almost into the last quarter hour, it was the Goan outfit all the way. In fact, it took only a few moments to realise that Churchill Brothers had not only come well-prepared but also meant business. And the continued onslaughts that it unleashed at the rival goal-area was quick enough to send the FC Kochin players into the defensive in an attempt to the keep the marauding Goan players at bay. With Roque Barretto and Aqueel Ansari in the midst of things and excelling well in scheming moves, Noel Wilson and Ratan Singh played just wide to ensure that the goalbound passes from the wings had the required punch.
Continually fed thus from the middle, both Yusuf Yakmbu and Abdul Ganiyu Saley manning the Goan frontline was a constant menace to the home team defence which, however, acquitted themselves well through the first half hour despite all the close shave and the six corners that Churchill earned. Yakmbu was off the target twice before he himself created one for Saley with a crisp move through the right. This time round, Saley was nowhere in position as the ball came in quickly from Yakmbu.
FC Kochin, though strengthened by return of Mikola Shevchenko and K. Noushad, had hardly anything to show in return before Rajesh Meetei struck with a solid shot just outside the box. Meetei, running in through the left, found his progress remaining unchecked before he came up with his successful attempt which evoked litted response from Ali Abubacker as well. The home side even then showed little of urgency to get back into stride and the only moment that brought cheer to the partisan crowd was when Noushad came up with a futile acrobatic attempt to bulge the rival net off a Seton pass from the left.
Suresh also picked up a round of applause for his goal-line save as Yakmbu threatened to conquer the Kochi citadel off a high lob from Aqueel Ansari. Both the teams, surprisingly, were slow to start with at the restart and as time passed by after Abubacker had denied both Saley and Noel Wilson came the quick turnaround in fortunes for the local side. V.P.Shaji almost equalised off a Rajesh Pandey cross from the right but the ball ricocheted back into play after hitting the uprights. And then, six minutes left for the whistle, Seton intercepting a loose ball in the middle evaded Osamanu Husseni and found the target with a high lob over advancing Edward Ansah. The Goans were left stunned.
FC Kochin will play HASC, Bangalore away on January 10 in the next round, while, Churchill Brothers will return home to play against Mahindra United the next day.
FC Kochin's Mikola Shevchenko (left) and Churchill Brothers' Yousif Yakmbu in hot pursuit of the ball in the National Football League match at Kochi on Sunday.
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