Last-gasp goal saves Air-India

If the Air-India, Mahindra clash was deemed as the Derby clash, today’s first match proved it in more ways that an A-I clash with BMFC was better in many ways.

The football played was open. Air-India attacked in waves and waves in the first half. BMFC waited for the second half to show their card, and they had a good hand, too.

To add to the quality of the clash was a last-minute goal by Air-India which settled the argument in nobody’s favour; a draw seemed to be the right result as both teams fought on an even keel. Forsome controversy, there were some awfully bad off-side decision by the assistant referee Saby D’Costa.

He raised the flag for an off-side when BMFC players were on-side. Worse for Saby, he got into argument with the BMFC bench which was right behind him. Hardly had a minute passed when three BMFC players — Uday Konar, Adel Ansari and Jagjit Singh — waiting for Saby to raise his flag found him doing nothing, broke through and scored the second BMFC goal.

A-I BRILLIANT IN FIRST HALF: Air-India’s writ in the first half was large. How could they roll the ball and play brilliant one-touch football on a sticky surface was never understood. Khambiton Singh once again played as a sweeper above the defensive line. Bungo was back in the centre and Air-India’s engine was working hard. With Godfred Pereira and Khalid Jamil working their magic, Air-India was splitting open the BMFC defence with regularity.

Three of the players were involved when Air-India scored their first goal — Jamil setting up Godfredwith a lob. Godfred pushed a back-pass for Bungo to blast a left-foot shot that trickled in after cathing the slush.

That was in the 22nd minute. Nine minutes later, Godfred all but scored. Godfred was once again set up with a long ball. With BMFC goalkeeper, Amit Singha Roy suffering a momemtary lapse of reason and rushing out, Godfred dribbled past him and lobbed but from nowhere Harsharanjit slid and blocked the goal-bound ball. It looped for A-I striker Surinder Pal but nothing came off it.

Having endured a torturous half-time, BMFC came out charged and chased every ball in Air-India’s defence. Then came the substitition. Suresh Singh made way for Sagar Amin. Amin took his usual position in the right of defence. Lanachuba Inchem moved over the left and Gift Rai Khan, who was the left wing back, moved up to midfield. Gift was a gift to the BMFC attack, making searing runs down the left and setting up many moves.

Amin made an immediate impact scoring three minutes after arriving, heading in Konar’scorner crisply. Air-India conceded their first goal in seven matches. They let their second goal in the 67th minute when three BMFC players, despite being off-side off Sagar Amin’s long ball from defence, bolted through and Adel Ansari scored.

That was the only time Air-India goalkeeper MY Ansari seemed to be be beaten on a one-to-one basis. Ansari thwarted the rampaging Gift Khan and Jagjit Singh twice each.

Just as BMFC looked like inflicting the first defeat on Air-India, Amin let them slip through literally under his foot. Subir Sinha’s cross was missed by Amin. The ball rolled for Jamil who struck hard. Roy could not collect cleanly and dropped for Godfred and PJ Jose. Jose got the final touch in the scramble as Godfred chipped the ball.

MAHINDRAS SCORELESS FOR 270 MINUTES: Mahindras used their flanks and did not try to break down the centre as in their earlier draws. But they still remain scoreless. Their fourth goalless draw in five matches and third in succession.

After the excitimentof the Air-India, BMFC clash, the Mahindra-BoI match was an anticlimax. Both the teams had two chances throughout the game but Mahindras looked increasingly predictable. In fact, of the two chances, BoI had a better opportunity.

Other results

At Cross Maidan: Division I:

New India Assurance 0 drew Rallies SC 0; Division III:

JJ Sports Club 0 vs CBD 0; Division II:

RCF 1 (Vinod Rao) bt BARC 1