Tamil Nadu shock Bengal to enter semis

S Ayyappa Swamy

Needing nothing but a win to advance into the knock-out round of the National football championship, for the Santosh Trophy, 29-times champions Bengal went into their last match against Tamil Nadu with a positive outlook. But they could not translate their overall superiority into goals, as Tamil Nadu rode out 1-0 winners to book a berth in the semi-finals.

In the semis, Tamil Nadu meet Kerala, who defeated Orissa 3-1, in an earlier quarter-final league match at the Cooperage, in Bombay, on Sunday.

The ignominy of defeat will hit Bengal, coached by Shabbir Ali, hard later in the night as they will now have to qualify for the next edition of the championship, something they have never had to do for the past several years.

The match-winner for Tamil Nadu, who made it to the quarter-final league on draw of lots with Gujarat, was scored by P Muthu, who was brilliantly set up by former international winger Syed Sabir Pasha of Indian Bank.

Pasha sent a deft through pass, which Muthu latched on to to beat advancing 'keeper Imran Khan with ease. The goal came in the 60th minute.

Muthu had, earlier in the first-half, made a mess off two fine passes by Pasha. He was hesitant in taking a shot at the goal, preferring instead to return the pass to Pasha. In the 60th, however, Muthu made no mistake with the shot.

In their other quarter-final league match, Tamil Nadu had drawn 2-2 with Karnataka.

Bengal were a motivated lot but when it came to scoring, their players were found wanting. The ball would simply not roll in as their strikers Dipankar Biswas, the captain, and Pradip Indu missed gilt-edged chances galore. Tamil Nadu goalkeeper Felix Edward also rose to the occasion by making some timely saves.

In the other match of the day, the typical industrious and clinical approach was missing, but Kerala still had enough arsenal to beat Orissa 3-1 in the final encounter of the Group A quarter-final league match and become the first team to qualify for the semi-finals.

Abdul Naushad sruck the opener in the 23rd minute, but then Kerala were surprised by Orissa, who got the equaliser in the 51st minute through Saroj Das, who chipped a free-kick over the defensive wall, making a monkey out of the Kerala defence.

But the dimunitive Asif Saheer, for who this tournament is turning out to be profitable, struck twice, in the 78th and 90th minutes, much to the delight of the goodly Kerala crowd that turned up for the match.

Kerala made a few changes in their line-up, including bringing in Jobby Joseph for former international goalkeeper Feroze Sherief, who was not even listed amongst the reserves. It suited them fine as Orissa were hardly expected to put up any defence.

Kerala had won their other quarter-final match against Assam 5-2, while Orissa had lost 0-3 to Assam. Thus, even the ignorant would not have put stakes on Orissa defeating Kerala.

Though the form of Saheer, Sylvester Ignatious and Abdul Noushad is heartening, what must be worrying for coach Peethambaran is international Abdul Hakim's indifferent attitude. He went through the motions and was eventually replaced in the 71st minute.

Saheer had a hand in all three Kerala goals. Noushad scored following a chip from the pint-sized striker. But Saheer's final effort was the best of the match. Anticipating a centre from right-wing-back K Bineesh, Saheer darted in to meet the ball just inside the box, and connected well to score with a header.