Siddi of joy 8212; Salgaocar win title

NEW DELHI, DEC 4: Salgaocar goalkeeper Juje Siddi was almost substituted minutes before the end of extra-time. Reserve custodian Raghuvir ...

NEW DELHI, DEC 4: Salgaocar goalkeeper Juje Siddi was almost substituted minutes before the end of extra-time. Reserve custodian Raghuvir Khanolkar had even finished warming-up. However, coach Shabbir Ali decided to stick with Siddi for the tie-breaker after he brought off three good saves in the dying minutes of extra-time.

This perhaps, was the most crucial decision for Shabbir Ali as Siddi, who appeared a trifle off-colour in the earlier games of the Allwyn Durand Cup, jumped to his right to save Falguni Dutta8217;s tie-breaker penalty. It was East Bengal8217;s fifth shot and Dutta, playing his first game of the tournament, held his head in dismay.

Siddi, of course, leapt in the air as his teammates surrounded him. Salgaocar, in their maiden appearance in the final of the Durand Cup, won the title and Rs four lakh with a 3-2 tie-breaker result. None of the teams could score till the end of extra-time.

Siddi was a star as soon as he saved the first East Bengal penalty taken by Raman Vijayan. Habib Adekunle had already converted Salgaocar8217;s first.

However, Brazilian Joao Santos hit over and Renedy Singh restored parity for East Bengal. Gbenga Lawal8217;s shot was saved by East Bengal goalkeeper Gopal Das and Ranjan Dey hit out. Roque Pereira and Ratan Singh both scored to make it 2-2. Dharamjit Singh managed to hit past Das for 3-2 in Salgaocar8217;s favour before Siddi made Shabbir Ali8217;s day.

The game, played at a fast pace, found East Bengal creating more opportunities. In fact, had coach Subhash Bhowmik started with Raman Vijayan instead of Nigerian Kennedy, East Bengal could well have avoided the tie-breaker. Kennedy missed three sitters, all off Bijen Singh8217;s passes.

East Bengal were unlucky to see a Vijayan header off a Bijen Singh lob came back from the far post in the 57th minute. Sixteen minutes later, Bijen Singh, unable to progress past the tall Salgaocar defenders, took a snap 25-yarder which had Siddi leaping to save.

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The Salgaocar moves were mainly built by Alvito D8217;Cunha who was running well in spite of carrying an injury.