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Journalism of Courage
GUWAHATI, April 27: Bengal won the National Football Championships for the Santosh Trophy for the fifth consecutive time with a 1-0 win over Goa. For the Western India state, it was third time unlucky, having ended up on the runners up podium for the last three years. 8220;We played well but we lost. What to do?,8221; Goa coach Amarando Colaco had little else to say as his boys slumped on the ground with dejection writ on their face.
Only if Francis Silviera not missed a sitter; or his shot much later, not come back off the upright. Leaving aside the ifs and buts, Bengal deserved to win, only the second time they can claim to have done so in this tournament.
Bengal8217;s victory was made possible by a 40th minute goal by Srikanta Dutta. The young striker, who will play for East Bengal in the coming season, finished as the joint highest scorer with Francis Silviera of Goa. Both scored four goals each and collected Rs 25,000.
It was an impulsive move by Dutta that fetched Bengal the only goal of the final. On a counter-attack, Tushar Rakshit relayed a long ball to an overlapping Biswanath Mondal on the right. Using his speed Mondal out ran the Goa defenders and from close to the flag post, lobed one inside the Goa box. Dutta charged in past the defenders and headed in between the far post and goalkeeper Juje Siddi. It was a brilliant strike worth Rs 2.5 lakh, the winners cheque. Goa had to settle for Rs 1.5 lakh.
Young Dora, who was with Port Trust last season, was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament and earned Rs 50,000. Dora, incidentally was Bengal8217;s reserve goalkeeper and came in for Bibhas Ghosh afterthe latter was shown the red card against Maharashtra.
Punjab stopper-back Rajesh Kumar was named the best player of the tournament and took home a cheque for Rs 1 lakh.
Punjab were awarded the Fairplay Trophy and Rs 50,000 that went with it. The losing semi-finalists Maharashtra and Punjab received Rs 1 lakh each for their efforts.
