Bihar punctures Maharashtra's pride

By Our Sports Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 26. For the second consecutive day, the margin of victory exceeded double digit as Bihar punctured Maharashtra's pride with a 11-0 win in a quarterfinal league match of the 37th National junior football championship for the Dr. B.C. Roy Trophy at the Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium here on Saturday.

Earlier, Manipur withstood a spirited fightback from Assam before winning by a solitary goal in another league match.

Bihar, with majority of its players from the Tata Football Academy, dished out a fare that reduced Maharashtra to a bunch of novices. Perhaps the only blemish in Bihar's win was the penalty missed by Syed Rahim Nabi in the first half.

Maharashtra's defence completely collapsed in the second half as Bihar pumped in eight goals after leading 3-0 at the half-time.

Striker Syed Rahim Nabi (52nd, 60th, 75th and 78th), Krishna Tudu (38th and 53rd), Malasamtlunga Shylo (8th and 63rd), Prasant Jaggi (30th) and Subash Chakraborthy (65th) scored the goals for Bihar.

Bihar did not waste any time in wresting the initiative in the midfield and went ahead in the 7th minute through Shylo who was in position to connect a low centre from Syed Nabi from the right.

Bihar dominated the show but had to wait till the 30th minute to increase its lead when Prashant Jaggi converted a free- kick from top of the box. It was double blow for Maharashtra as it lost goalkeeper Asif Khan who dislocated his shoulder while trying to stop Jaggi's free-kick.

A move started by Umesh Sharma culminated in the third Bihar goal as Krishna Tudu, after being put through by Nabi, went around the goalkeeper to score.

It was Bihar all the way in the second half. Playing with perfect understanding the Bihar players had no difficulty in slicing open the rival defence which at times looked woefully out of sorts.

Syed Rahim Nabi started the carnage in the second half with a excellent lob from left which sailed over goalkeeper Ansari's head into the goal. The strike triggered a goal rush as Bihar scored five goals in space of 12 minutes to assert its superiority in the middle.

Striker Ashish M. Bhoir missed the only chance Maharashtra got in the entire match when, after being put through by Imran Ahmed Ansari, he shot straight at the Bihar goalkeeper Satish Kumar.

Luck favours Manipur

The Manipur-Assam match came alive in the second half after a barren first half when play was confined mainly to the midfield.

Manipur got a lucky goal in the 45th minute following a bad clearance by Ratul Sonowal to a throw-in near the Assam penalty area. Ratul's header landed at the feet of Manipur's James Singh who was left free inside the penalty box and he scored with a right footer.

The goal perked up Manipur and it made an all-out attack on the Assam goal which had a couple of close shaves. However, the easiest chance Manipur got during its period of dominance was messed up by substitute Jotin Singh who after evading the rival off-side trap shot straight at the goalkeeper.

In the last quarter, Assam shrugged off its defensive game and counter attacked to have the Manipur defence under pressure. But it was just not Assam's day as chances went abegging. Momin missed an excellent chance to equalise in the injury time as his first time connection to a precise pass from Brijab Mushary just went wide off the mark. Referee Ashish Chakraborthy turned down appeal for handball by Assam when Momin's goal-bound shot brushed the fingers of Manipur's Shanta Singh inside the Manipur penalty area.

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