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| Karnataka win tie against Maharashtra as Bengal holds Goa to draw | | 62nd National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy | | Early Times Reporter
Srinagar | June 6
A depleted Maharashtra team went down 1-0 to Karnataka while Goa held last year’s runners-up Bengal to a goalless draw in the group-B quarter-finals league ground in the ongoing 62nd National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy at Bakshi Stadium, here today.
Skipper Xavier Vijaya Kumar scored the only goal of the match in the 61st minute to keep Kanataka in hunt for the semi-finals berth. The Hindustan Aeronauticals Limited, Bangalore mid-fielder, Xavier nudged the ball in for the winning goal after a Rajendra Prasad freekick found the left upright and ricocheted back to Xavier who had no difficulty to beat the goalkeeper Kunal Sawant who had already committed himself to stop Prasad's scorching freekick.
Finding direct entry into the quarters league and playing their first match, Maharashtra playing struggled from the outset and had an ordinary first half. Karnataka who qualified to the quarters after three straight wins carried their form in the game.
Mahrashtra had first ditch at goal when Aurangabad's Rauf Khan sent in an aerial to unmarked striker Kailash Mahadev Patil. But Patil messed up the opportunity before it could prove threatening. Karnataka increased intensity of attacks and Nabeel lob to Sanath Kumar kept goalie Sawant on the edge, but Kumar failed to make the move result oriented.
Maharashtra showed some urgency in the second half but their morale got dented by Xavier's freak goal. Karnataka had opportunity to double their lead when Sanath Kumar broke the Maharashtra defence from left but he delayed his shot which allowed defence to recover in time. Substitute striker Soccor Velho made a desperate attempt to find a late equaliser but Karnataka's HAL goalkeeper Gumpe Rimpe was prepared enough for the late onslaught.
Meanwhile, Bengal and Goa played a drab draw in the second group B game. Bengal were in command in the first half with their Chirag United striker Sankar Oraon getting a few close chances but failing to make them result oriented.
Denzil Franco almost won it for Goa in the 72nd minute when he unleashed a fiery aerial ball at goal on the third attempt after the ball lived dangerously inside Bengal goal area for a minute. However to Franco's dismay ball hit the cross bar and went over it. Earlier Drupseh Desai and Jaoquim Abranches had two attempts on goal on the same move. Cresson Antao last ditch at goal for Goa sailed over the bar again.
Services will take on Kerala and hosts Jammu and Kashmir will again pull crowd after they meet Punjab in the group A fixtures on tomorrow (Saturday).
FIXTURE (June 7)
QUARTERS LEAGUE GROUP-A
Services V/s Kerala 2.15 PM
Jammu & Kashmir V/s Punjab
4.15 PM |
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