The Hindu : Kulothungan throws FC Kochin a lifeline

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 20, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

Kulothungan throws FC Kochin a lifeline
By Our Sports Reporter

KOCHI, MARCH 19. Kalia Kulothungan threw the drowning FC Kochin a surprise lifeline at the Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday. The 22-year-old Thanjavur-born star converted a 78th minute penalty to give the Kochi side a 1-0 victory over the rampaging debutant Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club (HASC, Bangalore) in the Tata National Football League.

For a side facing a relegation threat, the victory offered fresh hopes. For FC Kochin climbed a rung, from the dangerous 11th spot to 10th in the NFL ladder after today's 17th round win, only its third in the sixth edition.

Certainly, Kochin's success was unexpected. The team's last win had come more than two months ago and after suffering a series of misfortunes, including the loss of its star striker Josiah Seton to a Malaysian club, the players' morale was clearly down. To add to its woes, Kochin was down to ten men for nearly an hour today after midfielder E. Muhammed was given the marching orders for bringing down the HASC star striker Raja Baliev Nurlan.

In sharp contrast, HASC which gained promotion to the premier league after topping the second division, was on a high. The Bangalore side had slain a few giants, including Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, and as its coach Chandrasekhar said, was looking at three points and nothing less from Kochi.

HASC had the man for the job too, striker Raja Baliev Nurlan, one of the top scorers this season. But Kochin defender Obinna Winners kept the Kyrgystan star on a tight leash, while goalie Ali Abubaker held his guard superbly. Clearly, the two were Kochin's heroes this evening along with Kulothungan.

The match was a scrappy affair for a major part and by the end of the goalless first session, HASC's Parameswaran and FC Kochin's Winners had tasted yellow cards while the local team's Muhammed was sent off with a red.

But the HASC players were an aggressive lot after the break. Probably, they had been told not to take the tackles and fouls lying down. Probably, they had been told to return the compliments.

And this probably cost the visitor a win today. For after going barren for nearly 75 minutes, substitute Vinod Kumar turned desperate when he saw Kochin's Kulothungan rushing inside the box from the right. He was quick to bring him down. And the referee pointed to the dreaded spot. Kulothungan converted neatly.

HASC's Vinod Kumar and Rajendra Prasad also suffered yellow cards in the second session. The Bangalore team's Nurlan and Dayananad attempted a few longrangers in the second session but Kochin goalie Abubaker stood steady. Kochin also earned a freekick just outside the box during this period but captain V.P. Shaji banged it on the wall.

HASC, which was in the sixth spot prior to this match, stays on 25 points after this game. The team had lost its home match to FC Kochin in Bangalore earlier.

The two teams play their next match on March 27 and while FC Kochin meets Mahindra United in Mumbai, HASC plays East Bengal in Kolkata.

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