Mohammed Rafique’s experience in the Indian Super League 2014 is the stuff youngsters across the nation dream of. Beating David James under the bar to score the winner in the final for Atletico de Kolkata — it was only his second match of the tournament — will most likely be his ticket to fame.
“I would just like to thank Allah that my team could win because of a goal from me. Coach (Antonio Habas) just told me to continue practising and keep working hard. When you do that your efforts ultimately bear fruit,” said Rafique.
He came on as substitute for the hard-working Mohammed Rafi but proved to be far more accomplished in finishing off moves in the goalmouth.
Rafi would have enjoyed scoring against Kerala Blasters, a high-profile team from his own State.
He had come close in the first half but was fouled. He was then taken off as Habas pushed in Rafique, hoping the new man would do something to justify his inclusion as a second-half substitute.
With the exhausted Blasters defence catching their breaths as the corner was being taken, their tired minds thinking about extra-time coming up, Rafique punished them by heading in the match-winner.
Rafique has done this before as a substitute for Kolkata league club Chirag United. He started his career with Tollygunje Agragami, and then moved on to Chirag United, for whom he earned the ‘player of tournament’ award at the 2010 Durand Cup, for decisive goals against East Bengal in the semifinals and JCT in the final.
The victory lap with teammates around the D.Y. Patil stadium will forever stay in his mind, as will words of praise from team co-owner Sourav Ganguly.
Captain Luis Garcia, who was on the bench nursing an injury during the final, said: “What we were looking for was these kinds of things: for Indian players to come out and show their potential.
In the first conference in Kolkata we said that this ISL is not just a competition for marquee players or international players. We come here to help football grow in India.”
Asked about an Indian scoring the title-winning goal, Garcia said: “Indians have potential. The only thing they need is access to the tools, the facilities. We will see a lot of players like (Mohammed) Rafique; many of them are showing the talent to be big players.”