Date:23/10/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/10/23/stories/2006102304911900.htm

Sport - Football

Punjab to meet Bengal

Kirti Patil

GURGAON: Punjab scored twice within the space of eight minutes to down a reticent Maharashtra 2-1 and storm into the final of the National football championship for the Santosh Trophy here on Sunday.

Goals from Baldeep Singh and Parveen Kumar helped Punjab bounce back after going a goal down at the Gurgaon Sports Complex.

In the title clash, six-time winner Punjab will meet Bengal, which beat Kerala in the second semifinal.

Punjab opened cautiously though Baldeep kept the right wing busy. He tried to set up Amrinder Singh in the sixth minute but nothing came of it. Parveen then wasted a great chance in the 21st minute by dribbling around too much and lost control of the ball when he had just one defender to beat.

Skipper on target

Last year's runner-up Maharashtra had its moments when Adil Ansari sent a rasping shot wide in the 29th minute. On the rebound off a corner in the 39th minute, Jaspal Singh sent a measured shot, which was punched out by Maharashtra custodian S. Roychoudhary before a defender took it to safety.

Two minutes from half-time, Paresh Shivalkar foxed the Punjab defence. He moved away from the box beating two defenders and turned to set up Abhishek Yadav. The skipper promptly gave Maharashtra the lead.

On the hour mark, the hardworking Baldeep Singh struck the equaliser. On a cross from the left wing, the Maharashtra defence fumbled in clearing the ball before Baldeep pounced on it to make it 1-1.

With Maharashtra still trying to come to terms with the situation, Parveen slotted home Punjab's second after a long clearance from Sukhjinder.

"Our midfield didn't work in tandem with the frontline and that cost us dearly," said Maharashtra coach Irenio Vaz.

Punjab made full use of the substitutions while Maharashtra delayed in replacing a sluggish skipper Yadav. He hardly did anything to motivate his team after missing Steven Dias' wonderful pass in the 84th. Yadav's feeble header went over the crossbar as Maharashtra gave up rather easily.

Bengal through

In the second semifinal, Bengal defeated Kerala 4-2 in the shootout. The teams were locked goalless after regulation time. With the deadlock not broken even after extra time, the match was decided on shootout.