Sport

Salgaocar downs Viva Kerala

NEW DELHI: Felix Chimaokwo and Nicholas Rodrigues kept Salgaocar Sports Club on top with their persistent probing as the Goan team defeated Viva Kerala 4-1 to move into the quarterfinals in the 120th Osian’s Durand Cup football tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Wednesday.

In Sunday’s quarterfinals Salgaocar will meet JCT Mills, Phagwara. Salgaocar had last won the Durand Cup in 2003, while its maiden triumph came in 1999 with East Bengal being the opponent on both the occasions.

In the second pre-quarterfinal, JCT Mills blanked qualifier Assam Rifles 5-0 with Eduardo da Silva Escobar scoring four goals on the trot. The Brazilian striker struck in the 35th, 52nd (penalty), 66th and 89th minutes, after Julius Irabor Akpele struck in the 16th minute.

Earlier, a new-look Salgaocar made a confident start to the 2007-08 season, after the ignominy of being made to struggle through the second division National Football League last year.

Malswamtlunga opened the account in the 15th minute, and then signed off with a final-minute strike as the Goan team put Viva Kerala out of Durand Cup.

On field, the two teams looked balanced, but Salgaocar had Cimaokwo and Rodrigues who allowed no respite to the Viva defence. Towards the end, the Kerala outfit managed to sneak into Salgaocar’s forte, but the Goan defence led by Nicolas Colaco and Remus Gomes stood firm.

The sparse crowd got the view of the first goal early on when Jerose Oliveira sent a cross for Malswamtlunga, who chased the ball before volleying it for the 1-0 lead.

Stung by the early blow, Viva went into defensive, but Salgaocar remained in the hunt with Rodrigues and captain Rosuc Lamare keeping the ball on the move. In the 37th minute, Lamare cleared the ball for Malswamtlunga on the left beating a line of three midfielders. The striker went up and set up Chimaokwo, who dibbled past Irungbam Singh and Sunil Kumar in the box, lost control a bit but completed the act with a right-footed shot.

Five minutes from the halftime, Viva faulted on Remus Gomes at the top of the box. Rodrigues took the free-kick with a ‘wall’ of five defenders blocking his view. The Goan produced a copybook left-footed shot that sailed into the goal without being challenged. Viva goalkeeper, T.G. Purushothaman, was left stranded in the middle — stunned by the beauty of the shot.

Just before the referee whistled for the break, Rodrigues was at it again. He moved up from the centre and cleared the ball for Anil Kumar in the left. Rodrigues charged into the box, but he failed to collect Anil’s pass and spurned the chance.

The exit was imminent for Viva but it played with purpose, showing no hint of resignation. Saikhom Santa Singh brought some cheers to the Kerala team when his humble lob from the left corner brushed the crossbar and went into the goal.

Having pulled one back, Viva tried to force more, but its efforts came a tad too late.

Malswamtlunga completed the tally in the 90th minute when Chimaokwo fed him from the left and the mercurial striker slotted in with his right foot.

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