The Hindu : Goa, Karnataka enter semifinals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Apr 29, 2002

Sport

Sport - Football

Goa, Karnataka enter semifinals

MANDYA April 28. The semi-finals loomed ahead and the teams were edgy. But more than nerves, it is fear of failure that mars sport. And when Goa and Karnataka settled for a goalless draw while securing their semi-final berths, the weekend crowd was miffed at the M. Visweswaraiah Stadium.

It was a crucial Sunday for the Group II teams eager to claim their semi-final berths in the M. Dutta Ray under-21 National football championship. However the pitch was queered after a listless Manipur watched Services belt a 5-2 victory in the day's first match.

Manipur lost heart with a 12th minute lapse as defender Thang Thang Kom's full-blooded clearance ricocheted into the goal off Services' striker L. Sangliana's boots.

The North Eastern State equalised with Jotin Singh's 37th minute header but its defence came under pressure with Sangliana's forays and Thirunavukarasu's shift to the mid-field.

The match slumped after the teams drew level at 2-2 with Bikash Gurung's penalty (Services) and Gouminlal Kipgen's deflection (Manipur) in the 53rd and 79th minutes. Manipur goal-keeper Bishorjit Singh remained static while Thirunavukarasu, Souban Sarat and Antony Francis (substituting for Anand Bhandari) scored in the dying minutes. The Manipur downfall induced whispers on the goal-difference bogey influencing the team's attitude. Hopefully they will remain mere insinuations.

The victory helped Services grab four points from three matches and draw level with Goa and Karnataka. However Goa and Karnataka still had one match - the one between them - left. And they needed just a draw to chug ahead at five points apiece and ensure their semi-final berths. That the teams opted for a wait-and-watch approach, hinted at a lack of self-belief that mars Indian football.

Enterprise was scarce and the emphasis was on defence. The host also lost striker Antony Irudayaraj to a knee injury.

His partner Kanickaraj did scare the Goans but the floater was lost in captain Abhijith's soft header.

The Goans banked on two freekicks but Akshay Das and Alex Ambrose's 30-yard swerve-hits failed to surprise custodian Chan Pasha.

The second-half was again steeped in half-measures and the last ten minutes was a parody as the rival midfields developed a sudden obsession to the ball!

The semi-finals will be held on May 1 and 2. The Group I semi-finalists will be spotted on the morrow.

Monday's matches: Group I: Andhra Pradesh vs Jammu and Kashmir; West Bengal (IFA) vs Maharashtra (WIFA).

Group II Table (read under played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points): Goa 3-1-2-0-3-0-5; Karnataka 3-1-2-0-4-3-5; Services 3-1-1-1-6-6-4; Manipur 3-0-1-2-4-8-1.

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