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