COLOMBO: Host Sri Lanka moved into the final of the football event, edging out India 6-5 via two sets of sudden death and tie-breaker after the two teams were locked 1-1 at the end of the extra time in the South Asian Games here on Thursday.

It was a case of India surrendering the initiative having taken a 1-0 lead through substitute Lalramluah in the seventh minute of extra time.

The team's inability to defend it cost the side dearly. Lanka's equaliser came when just a minute remained for the extra time to end. Hirohito handled the ball that Dumindu had sent off a free kick. The resultant penalty was neatly placed by Perera.

And then came the tie-breaker. Shilton raised cheer for India when he stopped Perera, but Lalramluah missed his kick, saved by Lankan goalkeeper Devinda. From 2-2 the tie-breaker ended 4-4. Noaba Singh, Lalkamal, Zaid and Soshil converted for India, while Sudara, Nadeka, Sivanka and Rohana were successful for the host.

Cheering crowd

In the first sudden death, Rakesh Masih's shot was stopped so was Lanka's Damindu's. In the second set, Vashum's kick was saved, but Nuwanta shot in and the big crowd, waiting for the athletics events to start, cheered the home team.

On the whole it was a scrappy match. Only in the latter part of the contest did the action get closer to the goal area. And as it happened, Lalramluah sent home a superb 25-yard angled left-footed free kick to put India up.

India should have closed the contest there, but inexperience showed. It got exposed as Lanka found the equaliser.

In volleyball, defending men's champion India began its campaign on a fluent note beating Afghanistan in straight games in Pool `A'.

One of the few outfits from India that has come in full strength, India used its full team initially. Thereafter coach Augusto brought out the reserves and in all it was satisfaction that was reflected in the team management.

Combining well

Subba Rao did well in blocking and attack, while Kapil Dev did the setters's job to perfection. Vikram and Srikanth were effective in serving. On the whole, the contest lasted just under an hour.

The women hardly sweated in downing Nepal with Aswini Kumar displaying her prowess at spiking.

In shooting, Amanpreet Singh won a gold in the 10m air pistol, his second, as India bagged three gold medals on Thursday. India missed the individual gold in the 50m rifle prone to Sri Lanka's Mangala Samarakoon to set a new Games mark.

In squash, India beat Sri Lanka 2-1 in the men's section.

The results:

Volleyball: men: Pool A: India bt Afghanistan 25-11, 25-16, 25-7; Bangladesh bt Afghanistan 25-14, 25-23, 25-13; Pool B: Sri Lanka bt Nepal 25-15, 25-20, 25-8; women: India bt Nepal 25-9, 25-17, 25-11; Sri Lanka bt Maldives 25-19, 25-22, 25-15.

Shooting: 50m rifle prone: 1. Mangala Samarakoon (SL), 695.2 (593 + 102.2) (NR) (OR: Nasiruddin (Ban), 1995, 690.7); 2. Imran Khan (Ind) 691.2 (589 +102.2); 3. S.S. Rathod (Ind) 687.1 (586 + 101.1); Team: India 1757 (Imran Khan, Rathod, Manoj Kumar); 2. Sri Lanka; 3. Pakistan; 10m air pistol: 1. Amanpreet Singh (Ind) 673.7 (577 + 96.7); 2. Om Prakas (Ind) 667.8 (571 + 96.8); Md. Boota (Pak) 666.4; Team: 1. India 1722 (Aman, Om, Babu Vangare); 2. Sri Lanka 1688; 3. Pakistan 1684.

Squash: India bt Sri Lanka 2-1 (Gaurav Nandrajog bt Navin Samarasinghe 10-8, 6-9, 9-3, 9-6; Harinderpal Singh lost to Saman Thilakarathne 7-9, 4-9, 8-10; Vikas Jangra bt Anura Hewage 9-2, 9-4, 9-0); Bangladesh bt Nepal 2-1.

PTI adds

Karatekas bag bronze

India bagged two bronze medals in the individual kata category of the karatedo competition at the 10th South Asian Games here.

In men's individual, D. Syngkon of India finished third, while the gold and silver went to Pakistan's Ghulam Ali and Sri Lanka's K.V.S.V. Kumara respectively. In women's individual, S. Ratangatu took the bronze. Nepal's S. Sijekhawa showed fine reflexes to claim the gold, while the host nation's R.P.S. Lakmali clinched silver.

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