The Hindu : Sport / Football : SAI, Lucknow, emerges champion

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Tuesday, Oct 16, 2007
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Sport - Football

SAI, Lucknow, emerges champion

Principal Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Meghalaya-born Henry Marboh scored a spectacular 60-yard equaliser but spurned an advantage in the tie-breaker before the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre, Lucknow, lived through the sudden-death to win the Subroto Cup under-14 title at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Monday.

The 10-man SAI team lived on the edge as it rallied from a goal down against Green Wood Higher Secondary School, Dimapur, Nagaland, to win 4-3 in the sudden-death tie-breaker after the two teams were tied 1-1 at the end of the regulation time and 15 minutes of extra-time.

Marboh’s 55th minute equaliser was a kind of stuff that is rarely seen in Indian football. From almost the centre of the field he struck a long ranger with the full intention of attacking the goal and the ball sailed into the net.

In the tie-break, SAI took an advantage when Denise and Neikupre missed the second and third spot kicks. Marboh was next up for SAI with score 2-1 in its favour and his grounder went wide of the left post.

Just as he realised his mistake, the defender broke down and was inconsolable even after SAI won the match. The Green Wood School in fact came back in the tie-break when Aiborlang K. Mujat missed the fourth spot kick and the two teams were again level at 3-3.

In the sudden-death, Tovi hit the cross piece and Suman Bar completed the formalities with a cool tap-in into the net.

In the tie-break, Lunminlal, Nyuhenlo and Vishiho scored for Nagaland and Mathura Beck, Readytone Nongbri, Amit Das and Bar scored for SAI, Lucknow.

Earlier, Nagaland took the lead in the 13th minute through Lunminlal when he moved in from the right flank and shot a left-footer into the netting. Though Nagaland team had the advantage of an extra-player as SAI’s six players were banned earlier in the tournament for being over-age, the Lucknow boys did well to defend.

In the 28th minute, Imlikokba set up Tingnyek and he got past two defenders at the top of the box but he skied the shot from the close range. Nagaland school kept probing SAI, but failed to find the openings before Marboh’s gem of a strike equalised the match.

Twelve minutes into the extra-time, Meren almost scored when he took the ball all the way from the left flank and shot a powerful close ranger. SAI goalkeeper Apu Dutta made a stunning save by pushing the ball over the cross-bar with his finger tips.

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