The Hindu : Central Railway blanks Pax

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 25, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

Central Railway blanks Pax

CHENNAI, MARCH 24. Pax of Nagoa from Goa showed all the urgency but it was Central Railway which found the goals as the Mumbai team carved out a 3-0 win to become the current leader in the Group I-second phase of the second division National football league at the Nehru stadium on Sunday.

With two wins, both over-strong squads, Central Railway has significantly enhanced its chances of grabbing one of the two berths from this Group for the final phase scheduled in Pondicherry next month. But it would never have been that way had Pax translated all those glorious opportunities close to the rival end into goals.

And that was not one or two but plenty as the Nigerian Ameachi Nwassunwanne in particular courted wretched luck despite winning the ball several times only to find the goalkeeper the stumbling block.

As often happens to a team which has been on a winning vein, Pax began to lose its fluid rhythm once it went into arrears and that too when the goal against it comes much against the run of play. For much of the early phase the Railway goalkeeper Raghuvir Kanolkar was under the threat of Sebastiao Endro and Ameachi with action virtually glued to his end.

Then came the sudden reverse act. Railway's Nigerian recruit Chika Ofokaja was off down the centre and as he struggled with two defenders the ball slipped away behind. Ever alert Asif Jamal came charging in and slammed a stiff grounder. The ball ricocheted off the right upright into the cage.

With a strong midfield where Kasif and Masood were prominent, Railway could thread occasional counters but Pax attack never ebbed.

Still why its defence, otherwise dependable, allowed soft goals to come about is a mystery.

Both goals that Railway substitute Adil Ansari scored in the space of ten minutes towards the end stages went unchallenged.

One was a solo and the other off a cross from Dheerendra Singh and both were easy executions when each Pax action at the other end only remained a drama, nothing more.

Still full marks to the Railway side for its cool-headed approach despite under pressure and carving out a convincing win.

There is no match on Monday.

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