Jude makes the difference on debut

Having heard of the club from compatriot and team mate Oyeleke Samson,Jude decided to make the trip to India and partake in the selection process for the only available spot in the club. “I was playing for a club in Khartoum,Sudan when Samson recommended that I come to India and try out Simla Youngs,” Jude said.

From a competition for the spot among 35 contenders,Simla Youngs head coach Tushar Dev chose the Nigerian. “I liked the way he played his football almost instantly. After the trials we knew we had our man,” Dev said.

Speaking a different language from the rest of his team mates,Jude still had to prove that he was the correct choice in match conditions. On Wednesday,the Nigerian put all doubts to rest and let his football do the talking.

As the rains lashed down during the dying seconds of injury time in the first half,Jude controlled a misdirected cross from a corner-kick with his head,landing it precisely towards an unmarked Manoj Kumar,who hammered it in with to put Simla Youngs ahead.

In the second half and on an almost unplayable ground,Kirkee equalised through Bikash Ghosh in the 74th minute due to a clearance error from the defenders — who slipped comically around the ball,leaving it clear for Ghosh.

But Jude struck almost immediately to score on debut,scampering through the slush and unlike the rest,staying on his feet to break the deadlock in the 82nd minute.Sensing trouble,Kirkee marked him immediately and Jude was brought down the field. “My team mates were not getting enough space to pass to me after I scored the goal. So I decided to play as a midfielder to feed the strikers,” Jude said.

With the rain running down the clock for the home team,Jude whizzed down the left flank and crossed it to Ashok Kumar,who stumbled the ball into the goal in the last minute of the match. As soon as the final whistle was heard,Jude pulled his team mates into a huddle to celebrate the 3 -1 victory in the middle of the trampled field. “I am happy we have advanced to the next qualifying stage. It is my first goal in India,” said the striker.

In the other Group A match on the first day,Amity beat Indian Navy 4-3 on penalties — to advance to the next round — after neither team managed to score during the regular 90 minutes.

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