The Hindu : Gray impressive in Sporting's win

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

Gray impressive in Sporting's win

By Our Sports Reporter

NEW DELHI APRIL 24. Ghanaian Eugene Gray gave Mohammedan Sporting the right blend in the front row as Kolkata club opened its campaign with a 2-1 win against Air India, Mumbai, in the Second Division National football league finals at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Thursday.

Gray controlled most of forward movement that eased pressure on the wingers. With the Ghanaian striker giving jitters to the Air India defence, Nigerian mid-fielder Awal Ibrahim decided he could also move up.

With that kind of attack in place, Mohammedan Sporting, which seemed at par with the Mumbai team during the first half, went into offensive.

The barren first half must have egged on the Kolkata club. Short and accurate passes replaced long passes and the result was immediate. Forward Dipendu Biswas created a couple chances for the Sporting but his over-confidence cost his team. In the 51st minute, Biswas' header fell into the side netting, but Kolkata club was in the upswing.

A melee occurred in the 54th minute on Air India's side and as soon as the ball was cleared, Gray sent in a right-footer into the top of the net for the breakthrough.

Soon after Biswas made a run from the centre and had a good ball just at the right height. But he shot wild.

The pace changed as Mohammedan Sporting went for more attacks. Substitute L. Akbar Singh raced ahead from the right flank and sent a cross in the centre. Awal Ibrahim had posted himself in front of the goal and he made a clean header to put Mohammedan Sporting 2-0 ahead.

Former Premier League team, Air India, seemed a shadow of its past. Most of the players were over-weight and flabby unable to keep up the pace with agile Sporting players.

Hardworking Anthony Fernandes got his due when he tapped in a Naushad Moosa header in the 67th minute. The two-goal lead must have given the Sporting players some complacency as Air India conducted several attacks on Kolkata goal.

Sporting's goalkeeper Imran Khan was almost untroubled till then, but Air India made sure he earned his pay cheque. With score down to 2-1, Air India provided very faint glimpse of its former glory.

But Sporting allowed only so much leeway. With seven minutes remaining in the match, Awal created a good chance of putting his team ahead but his long-ranger flew just over the crossbar.

Three minutes later, Air India failed to capitalise on a chance for an equaliser. In the 88th minute, Fernandes, in desperation, took a wild heave but missed to connect the ball right in front of the Sporting goal.

After two matches in the round robin league, Mohammedan Sporting and Hayward Sporting, Goa, lead the table with three points each. State Bank of Travancore, Thiruvananthapuran, and Air India are lying low without a win. Top two clubs from the four-team league will join the 2004 National Football League replacing two Bangalore clubs, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Indian Telephone Industries.

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