Mumbai FC Halts HAL

Riding on back-to-back wins, the minnows, HAL and Mumbai FC locked horns at the historical city of Kolhapur. The Mumbai-based outfit perfectly used the only opportunity of the match and garnered 3 points. This is their 3rd win from as many matches. 

For HAL, it was their first loss, the result could have gone in HAL’s favor.  They missed few half-chances, and one of RC’s shot was brilliantly saved by their keeper.

Team truly missed the service of Xavier VikayKumar. Ever-dependable Xavier was not playing for HAL today after he pulled his hamstring in one practice session in Bangalore few days back. Also, yesterday in Kolhapur, the injury was aggravated in the practice session. Looking at the immensity of the I-league, the team management decided not to field him. 

The goal for the Essel Group-owned team came from the foreign recruit Ebi Theophilus Sukore in 76th minute. Left-wing midfielder, Nicolas Rodrigues put a pass for Ebi, HAL defense failed to pick him, Ebi came from the middle, and scored the only goal of the match.

HAL by all means played a decent game and their opponent for today never looked as strong as the result depicts.  Their dream return to the I-league division 1 were arrested by Mumbai FC, they were tad unlucky today, and the opponent utilized only chance they got in the game.

Next match:

• Round IV: Saturday, December 18, 2010 Vs Viva Kerala

  

HAL the way!

Call it insane, unbelievable, or whateva! Our guys are doing it in style - two win on as many away matches for a newly promoted team. Whoa, that’s a great beginning!
 

Perhaps the unknown factor is doing it for HAL, opponents were caught unaware, and they struggle to get the team members brief.

Attacking from left to right, HAL kicked off the game.  HAL made some couple of good moves, which was cleared by Bagan keeper Sangram. However, it was the mistake from the same keeper that helped the aircraftsmen to score their first goal in the 20th minute of the game.

Sangram did not read a back pass from defender Karan Atwal and failed to clear the ball. Standing right at the top of the box, Vijesh Kumar PU, the new recruit from Malabar United, took a powerful shot at the goal (1-0).

Bagan came back quickly to the game with Barreto equalizing in the 30th minute. Nigerian striker Muritala put a pass for Barreto, the later hurriedly beat two HAL, and scored from his left foot (1-1).
 

After changing ends, Bagan tried hard to come back into the game. They made several attacks, however, the most important goal eluded them.
 

It was during one of the several counter attacks, HAL got the winner. In 81st minute, RC Prakash produced a deft snap-header from the close range, Bagan keeper quickly warded off. The ever-smiling central-medio, J Murali made no mistake in placing the ball to the goal from the rebound (2-1).
 

Murali - winning goal-scorer also took away the man-of-the-match prize

There was an absolute silence at YBK stadium, as the crowd barely thought a minnow like HAL would drub them so badly.
 

“We banked on the chances we got and stayed in the game”, tells Rohit Chand, the Player of Asian Origin (PAO) from Nepal, who made some speedy down-the-line run from the left-flank.
 

Rohit adds, “MohunBagan was definitely a very stiff opponent than the one we played in our last game, JCT. At the beginning, we gave too many miss passes, and then we settled down. To me second half was much more competitive and we dished out a better show.”

Team’s technical director Muralidharan was talking to the GardenCitySoccerStars immediately after the match, “The team played great game today and most importantly we were in a position to score few more goals. The boys have achieved a great feat, this is just the beginning, and we’ll pull many more surprises!”
 

On this given performance and with 2 more matches coming up next week against Mumbai FC and Viva Kerala, we can surely second Muralidharan’s view.
 

Coming up matches:

• Round III: December 13, 2010 Vs Mumbai FC
• Round IV: December 18, 2010 Vs Viva Kerala

Former footballer Omprakash passes away

Former footballer Omprakash suffered a heart attack at his residence and passed away on yesterday, December 3, 2010 at Gauthmpuram, Ulsoor.  He was 46 years of age.

Omprakash along with Babumani represented Karnataka state in the sub-junior nationals held at Kolkata in 1980. While Babumani moved to Kolkata to widen his footballing career, Omprakash played for city club Mars Football Club, a famous club in Bangalore in those days.
 

Omprakash’s death in an untimely manner is a great loss to the state and to his family.

HAL return in style in I-League, JCT pay the price of being overconfident

A perfect start one could have ever imagined! 

Riding on an early goal from the wily Xavier Vijaykumar, HAL made a staring return in the big stage of Indian football. After a brief hiatus in I-League, the minnows from Bangalore have done it all themselves.  

 “Unknown quantity is always a better choice than the known”, who else will be thinking that other than R Thyagaraj, the coach of the victors. Coach sounded very tentative when GardenCitySoccerStars met him less than a week ago during the practice session, which was quite apparent, as he was just a few weeks old in the office.

Talking to GardenCitySoccerStars from Gurgaon, coach was joyous in saying, “Glad that we have garnered 3 full points from an away game. Our boys put in a combined effort, played a great game, and all credit goes to them!”

HAL returns to Bangalore on Sunday and then they move to Kolkata to play against Mohun Bagan on Wednesday, December 8.
 

The lone goal of the match came in the 13th minute. S Muralidharan passed a long ranger to Xavier, chasing the ball down the right flank, Xavier dribbled one defender and moved into the penalty box, where he fooled another defender with his trademark left leg dribble, and then placed the ball to the goal.
 

HAL thoroughly dominated the first half, missing as many as 3 sitters. Playing with only one foreigner, JCT tried hard in the second half, however, good defending by HAL thwarted their plan.

Xavier was at its best even after the match, “JCT underestimated us - they had no preparation at all, and took us too lightly!”

“Even they were confident that a thin-framed player (like me) could not score that goal”, Xavier adds in jest.

5 more away matches to play in the month of December. They have made a great start, now it’s all about maintaining composure and momentum.