The Hindu : Goal glut takes Karnataka through; Kerala holds Haryana

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 13, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

Goal glut takes Karnataka through; Kerala holds Haryana

By S.R. Suryanarayan

Karnataka 18 J & Kashmir 0
Goa 1 Tripura 0
Punjab 12 Chandigarh 0

Kerala 1 Haryana 1

Kerala's Subitha Poovatta (right) tries to get past Haryana's Poonam Rani in their drawn match in the senior women's National football championship in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: K. Gajendran

CHENNAI JUNE 12. Two teams made merry, another a tearful exit, while the `match' of the day was almost ruined by the officials. Finally things began to happen in the Senior women's National football championship as the preliminary phase reached the penultimate day on Thursday.

The morning belonged to Karnataka, specifically to Shiva Shankari, who scored seven goals including a hat-trick to help her State edge Tripura on `goal difference' and qualify along with Goa from Group A.

Karnataka needed a 14-0 win margin over the lowly Jammu and Kashmir and it was easy execution against the Group's weakest link. Amoolya scored five goals (including a penalty), Nesa Kumari three, Vanitha two and Vinutha Jadav accounted for the remaining one.

Poor Tripura, a quarterfinalist last time and a young side with credentials of having done well in the all India schools tournament, had to make an early exit particularly when it failed against Goa.

For Goa, which once again played in the early afternoon time slot, the fight was against both the weather and a gritty Tripura. The close margin reflected the tussle.

Tripura knew its survival depended on gaining at least a point to push Karnataka out. For 56 minutes the team held the combination of Julie Silva, Michelle Soares, and Fransquina D'Costa at bay. Here it must be said that Goa did not did not serve its cause with its poor finishing until Sharon Fernandez was able to break the ice and the Tripura girls' hearts.

Like Goa, Tripura too suffered because its young players failed to capitalise on opportunism through delayed acts.

For Punjab it was expectedly easy as it made short work of Chandigarh to virtually cement its place in the next phase. At no point was the Punjabi girls threatened as Gurmeet and substitute Karamjit Kaur led the rout with four goals each.

Leading 5-0 at the half way stage, Punjab went on relentlessly. Harkamal Kaur, Harjinder Kaur, Sharanjit Kaur and Arti were the other scorers. Next to J & K's record of receiving 43 goals in three matches was Chandigarh with 33 goals.

The whole focus then was on which team would follow Punjab from Group C. Kerala needed a win to keep afloat and now can entertain hopes only if Haryana loses by a 0-2 margin to Punjab, a remote possibility.

It was a close and entertaining match despite the curious acts of the officials. The issue was clash in colours of the jerseys. Referee Bhaskar Nanda of Orissa decided that dark maroon and bright red could not go together. The remedy was laughable as the Haryana players were asked to wear yellow bibs, with fancy numbers, over their original red jerseys! How such fancy numbers (ranging from 50 to 71) can be allowed in football is beyond comprehension.

By half time, the Match Commissioner Michael Andrews intervened and had the Haryana players change to orange and black jersey combination given by the local association. The matter was solved but why this was not tried in the first place was a mystery.

That apart it was a well contested match involving two of the better-organised sides. Kerala looked hungry and its early forays should have paid dividends but whether it was Amutha Aravind or Subitha Poovatta, the finishing touch deserted them. Twice the ball went over from close and once the framework came in the way.

Lot straightforward was Haryana's breakthrough in the 23rd minute. Reena, from the near side, had sent the ball across, triggering frenetic activity in the Kerala goal area and in this midst Sonika found the cage.

Kerala kept its focus. With promptings from Sreelatha and Sunitha, the trio of Angel Adolphes, Subitha and Seena prowled. Even though the girls showed glimpses of ball skills, the inability to be quick in their acts nipped quite a few emerging moves.

Sreelatha came to the team's rescue with a perfect free kick that sent the ball floating into Haryana box. Angel jumped, got a faint header to send the ball in for the equaliser (32nd). It was touch and go from then on. But as the final moments arrived, Kerala wasted two good chances, with Subitha failing on both occasions.

Friday's matches: Tamil Nadu v Rajasthan (6.45 a.m.), Assam v Maharashtra (2.45 p.m), Punjab v Haryana (4.30 p.m.)

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