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| Punjab beat Karnataka in tie-breaker to enter final | | JK Bank 62nd Santosh Trophy Football Championship | | Early Times Reporter
Srinagar | June 13
Reaching the final after sidelining Karnataka in the semi-finals today, the title holders Punjab are set to defend the coveted trophy when they meet formidable Services in the final on June 15 in the ongoing 62nd J&K Bank National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy at Bakshi Stadium, here.
The second semi-final played this afternoon was the most sensational match of the championship wherein Punjab could make it a win against fighting Karnataka only through tie-breaker beating latter by four goals to three at Bakshi Stadium, here.
The two teams changed their sides four times yet without producing any results. The ball kept rolling from one end to another during the stipulated ninety minutes and also the extra time of thirty minutes to prolong the match for tie-breaker.
Despite Karnataka substitute custodian Najendra made a gallant effort to stop a boomer from Balwant Singh, the team could not win due to two costly misses made by Srinath and Sanath Kumar. The score was leveled at 3-3 after strikers of both the teams made into the nets. It was Xavier Vijay Kumar, Rajendra Prasad, and Bimal Minz from Karnataka and Jaspal Singh, Jagpreet Singh and Sukhwinder Singh to score for Punjab in the first three moves. Ravinder Singh was the other scorer for Punjab after Balwant Singh’s shot was saved.
Earlier, in the stipulated time, Punjab custodian as also the team captain, Karanjit Singh made as many as five brilliant saves during the course the Karnataka strikers made fabulous moves to the Punjab goal post. Nabeel of Karnataka missed a golden chance in the 20th minute of the game and as went the Harvinder’s header from Punjab on a counter attack. Ravinder Singh was very slow in nicking a ball inside D of Karnataka and on a counter Sanath Kumar missed by a whisker for Karnatka in the 30th minute. Karnatka captain, Xavier Vijay Kumar was not seen in good knick today and the lead scorer of his team was treated for his injured elbow during the first half.
In the dying moments of the stipulated period Karnataka goalkeeper Gumpe Rime made an acrobatic save on a fine shot from Sakarta Singh, while the ball also fumbled from him. Punjab substitute Balraj Singh once got a good pass from the right wing but there was nobody to just nick the ball in to the open net on his fine cross.
As the game ended goal-less in the stipulated ninety minutes, the two halves of the extra time also couldn’t produce any goal. Xavier Vijay Kumar from the left wing, made an individual effort in the second half of extra time but could not target his shot, despite beating two deep defenders inside the penalty area.
It is important to mention here that in the history of Santosh Trophy, Karnataka football has only once figured in the finals that too 32 years back in 1975-76, when the team lost the final on penalties against Bengal. |
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