Climax takes Salgaocar into final

By Our Special Correspondent

PONDICHERRY, JUNE 17. Climax Lawrence is his name and he, appropriately, scripted the `climax' of the first semifinal, scoring both the goals for Salgaocar, Goa in its 2-1 win over fancied Mohun Bagan, Calcutta in the Pondicherry Millennium all- India invitation football tournament at the floodlit Indira Gandhi complex here on Saturday.

In what was a match that turned close and exciting by the end stages, the famed Calcutta giant was shocked by Climax's opportunism in the final seconds of injury time. Mohun Bagan could not fight back as it did when it first went into arrears in the 56th minute, courtesy Climax again.

On that occasion, Bagan's Brazilian recruit Santos provided the succour within 1o minutes. It was sheer bad luck that the other Brazilian Barreto's headed `goal' a minute before Climax had scored, had to come in the aftermath of a foul and was disallowed. But that was the way the ball rolled for the National league champion, which had come here with the halo of a champion.

The semifinal began on a dour note with both teams making safe play its first priority. Proceedings virtually lulled the vast gathering into slumber. But there were clear indications from the way both teams sized up the other that things would hot up later. Abiding moments in the first session were a Bruno Coutinho 40- yarder that surprised Bivash under the Bagan bar, and the manner in which Naushad once sent Siddi under the Salgaocar citadel sprawling to control the ball. For a moment he lost the collection and the way Santos charged like a predator, a goal seemed imminent. But Siddi, who had a busy moment parrying shots, saved that moment.

Much depended on Santos and Barreto for Bagan. With R.C. Prakash chipping in smartly, Salgaocar courted trouble every moment the ball swung to its end. Added to that was the effort by Basudev Mondal to control the midfield. For all this it was the Bagan citadel that fell following a counter. Denis Cabral squared the ball and Climax broke through a non-existent off-side trap. Bivash had no chance of stopping Climax.

The cheers died when Bagan's moment of joy came off a Dulal throw in. The Salgaocar defence needlessly dilly-dallied in clearance and Santos was not one to let an opportunity go, beating Siddi with the feeblest of kicks.

Parity restored the contest seemed destined for the extra time notwithstanding the frantic efforts by both sides to break the deaklock through long balls or sudden bursts. There was Salgaocar's Jatin Bisht firing a 35-yarder on the run, which if it had been slightly angled could have troubled Bivash. It went straight.

At the other end Dulal's throw in again brought excitement as Barreto had Prakash charging in but the latter sent the header wide from the goalmouth. Into the injury time of four minutes and Bagan thought it had scored the winner when Barreto headed into the empty net. But Siddi and Prakash had collided and sank to the turf a second before that and the slight delay in Referee Shaji Kurien whistling to disallow the goal did not go well with the Calcutta side. More so when Climax was to script the final act, with a rebound after Bruno had fired first.

Sunday's match (semifinals): India Junior XI v SBT, Thiruvananthapuram, 6 p.m.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Sport
Previous : Spain keen on making amends against Slovenia
Next     : It'll be tough for Yugoslavs against euphoric
           Norwegians