Nightmarish outing for Silver Dream

PUNE, April 19: Indrayani Sports Club struck out Strikers Football Club 5-3 via the tie-breaker while Roopali Sports Club turned Silver D...

PUNE, April 19: Indrayani Sports Club struck out Strikers Football Club 5-3 via the tie-breaker while Roopali Sports Club turned Silver Dream8217;s outing into a nightmare, edging them out 3-1 in first round matches of the late Anthony Maharaj Memorial football tournament at the Military ground, Ghorpuri, today.

Sheer persistence and fighting spirit till the very end proved fruitful for Indrayani SC. The lads from Dehu Road rallied from a one goal deficit to restore parity a minute before the end of regular duration. In the subsequent tie-breaker they stayed ahead with a two goal margin.

The first-half session witnessed listless football, with the teams not pressing enough for a breakthrough. For Indrayani SC, Manoj Balkrishnan and Martin Alex raided the rival goal on numerous occasions. At the other end, equal attempts were made by Baptist Lobo and Nicholas Annam with the same result.

The second session saw some good moves initiated by Strikers. In the 23rd minute of the post-breather session, Sona Singh, who came in place of Joseph Annam produced an accurately timed aerial shot from 25 yards in front of the goal box, which dipped in at the right moment and flummoxed the keeper Allwyn Maksare.

However their joy lasted barely six minutes. Indrayani replied with an equaliser in the 29th minute, seconds before the final whistle. A diagonal pass from substitute Sunder Pillai to Martin Alex saw the latter head the ball home. Julius Kedare of Strikers received a yellow card.

Indrayani then went on to clinch the tie-breaker, netting four and conceding two goals. Anthony Chawdi, Manoj Balkrishan, Kumar Balkrishnan and Martin Alex proved successful for Indrayani. For Strikers Victor Tambi and Rajesh Pillai found the net while Baptist Lobo8217;s attempt was saved by keeper Alex Sagayam, and Savio D8217;Souza sprayed wide.

Silver Dream got off to a good start, going into the lead in the fifth minute. Nilesh Dalvi netted from close range. Roopali maintained their rhythm unperturbed by the early goal deficit. Midway into the session, Santosh Joshi found the equaliser. He did well to trap an Ashwin Mancherkar diagonal pass from the right with his chest and slammed home before the ball could touch the ground.

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After a first session deadlock, Roopali ran off with the match netting two more goals. Bapu Raikar, seeing the unguarded Vinod More in waiting, sent in an aerial pass to him. The subsequent header beat Silver Dream8217;s keeper Girish Sonawane all hands down. A few minutes before the conclusion Roopali made the issue safe with the third goal. A one-to-one combination ensued between Ashwin Mancherkar and Bapu Raikar with the latter knocking home from within the eighteen yard box.

The only yellow card of the game was issued to Goldie Rawat of Silver Dream for using abusive language and passing undue comments.