If organising tournaments was a yardstick to gauge interest in the game, Zakir Hussain College might be one of very few institutions to have taken up soccer in the Capital. The college conducts Zakir Hussain memorial football tournament, an annual inter-college fixture, which sees participation from a number of senior-division players. The enthusiasm for the sport reflects in their performance as well. They have won the last three editions of the tournament and this year, too, they have strolled into the last four of the Zakir Hussain memorial football tournament with two victories in two matches — the latest being a 3-0 drubbing of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College on Tuesday.Right now, skipper Tapan Joshi has no idea of their semi-final opponents, even though they happen to be Zakir Hussain College (evening). “I haven’t seen them playing. I know a couple of faces but that’s it,” says Joshi.Actually, he’s not losing his sleep over it as well. The few creases on his forehead were in anticipation. “We hope that Kirori Mal College qualifies for the final. That would be a good match for a final.”Call it confidence or complacency, it’s the presence of as many as four professional players that fuels it. “Ashish, Vikas and Gaurav Rawat are all professional players. I’m the fourth professional player in the side. This makes the difference,” says Joshi who himself is a Shimla Youngs defender, adding, “We are also the inter-college champs.”Meanwhile, in the other quarter-final, Motilal Nehru College beat Dayal Singh College 3-0 to enter the semi-final. They will be playing Kirorimal College on Wednesday.
