JOIN USHASC too good for BEML
Still smarting from their 1-2 semifinal loss to eventual winners BEML in the Puttiah Memorial knockout tournament last November, the BDFA Super Division champions exacted perfect revenge, killing the contest with a first-half demolition act in front of a partisan crowd at the Bangalore Football stadium.
The Aircraftmen, one of the favourites to make it to the second round, took off instantly, troubling BEML with entertaining mid-field play.
With no visible plans set against playmaker Satish Kumar (Jr) and captain Xavier Vijay Kumar, the Aircraftmen could attack with relative ease, producing neat passes that had BEML defenders scurrying all over.
HASC were soon rewarded for their lightning start when Satish floated a wonderful ball from the right that was headed in by Rajendra Prasad at the far post in the 10th minute.
The lead was doubled within four minutes when an unmarked Xavier was brought down by BEML goalkeeper Rajan inside the box after striker Fredrick Okwagbe had threaded a brilliant ball. J Murali thundered home from the spot, raising visions of a drubbing for Dada Peer’s men.
Despite staring at the wrong end of the barrel, BEML hardly appeared perturbed. They took control of possession and created a bunch of good openings, but were let down by dismal final deliveries. Chance after chance went abbeging and BEML paid dearly for their misses with a moment of brilliance from Ricky Joy and Satish after 36 minutes.
Defender Joy relayed a long ball from his own half and with custodian Rajan completely out of position,
Satish lobbed the ball from 30 yards out to effectively seal the encounter. Upon resumption, the script hardly changed for BEML. With star striker RC Prakash out of sorts, the onus was on Goutham Debnath and Alesh Shamaki to provide some spark and the duo disappointed largely.
The virus of fluffing in front of goal soon spread to HASC, Fredrick Okwagbe and Xavier missing a couple of sitters which otherwise would have led to an even more emphatic scoreline.
Results at New Delhi, Group B: Amity United: 1 (Udhaya Surya 77th) bt Indian National: 0.