FC Kochin lead National Football League race
S. Ayyappa Swamy
Until 15 days ago, there was no assurance that they could even put up 11 players for the fifth National Football League. But, surprise, surprise, FC Kochin, the much-beleaguered side from the South, find themselves atop the 12-team table as the NFL takes a one-month break for the Millennium Cup.
Though there are three others -- Mohun Bagan, debutants Vasco and Indian Telephone Industries -- also with four points, FC Kochin are perched on top as their points have come from away matches.
They surprised former champions Salgaocar 3-2 in a close tie in Margao, Goa, and then were held 1-1 by Vasco at the same venue.
When FCK officials P.V. Paul (chairman) and Babu Mather (secretary) visited Bombay last month, there was no assurance of even their major stars I M Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri and Dinesh Nair taking the field, leave alone another eight members. The officials managed to raise the funds and with a little arm-twisting of the players managed to field a side. They added some Liberian arsenal as five joined them a few days before the league.
Goalkeeper Sunday Seah, stopper-back Patrick Nuku, midfielder Eugene Gray, attacking midfielder Rashidi Williams and striker Aaron Cole are the famous five. A 'sixth' is added as Seah also doubles up as a striker. Against Salgaocar he opened the account which was doubled by Vijayan and finally Jo Paul rounded off the tally in the dying minutes.
Defending champions Mohun Bagan too are on par with FC Kochin, but their second 'away' match was actually at 'home', at the Rabindra Sarovar stadium in Calcutta. They beat Tollygunge Aggragami 2-1 after being held by Jagatjit Cotton Textile Mills, Phagwara, in the opening match of the league on December 14 in New Delhi. That coach Subroto Bhattacharyya will bank on his two Brazilian imports -- Jose Barretto and Joao Santos -- is evident as both have already got into the scorers' list.
Two of the big shocks of the first two rounds were debutants Vasco Sports Club's 2-1 win over Goan
champions Zee Churchill Bros, and ITI pulling off a solitary goal win over East Bengal in Bangalore.
But these are still early days and both losers are immense staying powers. East Bengal were the most consistent team of the NFL in the previous editions, with top three finishes in the first three. Only last year did they slip to No. 8.
A major disappointment was the non-performance of the new red-coloured Mahindra United, under former national coach Shabbir Ali. They lost to Bombay citymates Air-India at the Cooperage, in their home match, and
then drew 1-1 with JCT and have just one point from two matches.
Already under pressure from their management, coach Shabbir and manager Harish Rao have flown to Iran to recruit two players, both mostly defenders. With Nigerian Bernard Operanozie and Tapon Ghosh ruled out with injuries, the makeshift duo of Naushad Moosa and Christopher Ihegborow are unlikely to last the distance of 22 matches.
An Air-India versus Salgaocar match has always been a high point of any football tournament in India. Both play an attacking brand of soccer and there are thrills aplenty, always. Five goals came in their clash in Goa on Wednesday. Fortunately for Salgaocar they grabbed three points while, unfortunately, for Air-India, they scored only once through Anthony Fernandes.
Former India captain Bruno Coutinho dazzled with two goals and this has prompted a recall to the Indian team for the Millennium Cup.
State Bank of Travancore have proved for the second year in running that they cannot be taken lightly. No, they did not win any, neither did they lose. Two honourable draws from two away matches is a feather in coach Mohd Najeeb’s cap. The first was at Bangalore against ITI and than against last year's runners-up Churchill Brothers at Goa.
Always-experimenting coach Amal Datta's Tollygunge Aggragami take the tailend and are the only side to lose both their opening matches. Datta has experimented earlier with his diamond formation and the box. Let's see what he will spring on us in the new millennium.
The remaining matches of the NFL will now be held only after January 25 after the completion of the
Millennium Cup.
|
5th National Football League Standings |
| |
|
Overall |
|
|
| Teams |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
GD |
| FC Kochin |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
| M Bagan |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
1 |
| Vasco |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
| ITI |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
| Salgaocar |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
2 |
| East Bengal |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
| Air-India |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
3 |
-2 |
| JCT |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
| SBT |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
| Mahindra |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
-1 |
| Churchill |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
-1 |
| Tollygunge |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
-3 |
| |
|
5th National Football League Standings |
| |
|
Home |
|
Away |
| Teams |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
| FC Kochin |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
| M Bagan |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
| Vasco |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
| ITI |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Salgaocar |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| East Bengal |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
| Air-India |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
5 |
| JCT |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
| SBT |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Mahindra |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Churchill |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Tollygunge |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| |
