What if power fails just before you could see whether the ball that flew off Messi’s leg landed in the net, bounced off the post or has been saved? Can’t blame if fans want to do a Zidane on KSEB.
It may well prove true considering the long history of rain and power playing hide-and-seek in the State. The diehard soccer fans are already fuming over the impact of the 45-minute load shedding on their World Cup plans.
But the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) is not yet ready to play ball with football fans. It has no plan to lift the load-shedding between 6.45 p.m. and 11.15 p.m to cheer up the spirit of the football enthusiasts.
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It all depends on how the southwest monsoon progresses.
KSEB Deputy Chief Engineer P. Keshavadas told The Hindu that no directive has come from the top to lift the cyclical load-shedding in view of the World Cup.
Soccer fans may miss out vital action in about 15 group stage matches to be played between June 13 and 27 scheduled to begin at 9.30 p.m IST.
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Some of the most anticipated matches include the Germany-Portugal duel on June 16 and Italy-Uruguay face-off on June 24.
Soccer fans will receive a double blow if the power cut gets extended to the first week of July. They will not be able to watch the four crucial ‘Round of 16’ games scheduled to begin at 9.30 p.m. These matches will be played out between June 28 and July 2.
Fans are enraged over the KSEB’s decision not to lift the load-shedding at least during the group stages.
V.P. Chandran, the secretary of Bhagat Soccer Club in Kochi, said they planned to hold a symbolic protest soon in front of the KSEB’s regional headquarters to press their demand.
“We will also approach the Chief Minister and the Electricity Minister seeking their support,” he said.
With the Meteorological Department forecasting a below normal monsoon, the football fans may well end up a disappointed lot, as the electricity board may have no other option but to continue with the existing load-shedding till the end of June.