NAGPUR:
Nagpur Blues
played to their reputation and outwitted last edition’s finalist Sadar Football Club 4-1 on Tuesday.
Sadar FC
continued their lacklustre performance as they faced second consecutive loss in the ongoing
NDFA Super Division League
match at Police Line Takli ground.
Nagpur Blues were desperate for a win after they were held 1-1 by New Globe Club in the tournament opener. The combination of young and experienced worked well for the Blues as they outsmarted the rivals on every front. Making most of the dull defence of Sadar FC, Shahzad Khan, Arbaz Ansari, Amol Roy and
Tapan Haldar
fired a goal each to script the win.
After both the sides created an opening within four minutes, Shahzad Khan opened the account by tapping the ball into the goal off the well-placed flag-kick from the most experienced midfielder Mohd Ilyas in the fifth minute.
Sadar FC, who faced a 3-1 loss against Guards Regimental Centre (GRC) on Sunday, struggled to give clean passes and also failed to mark the rivals. Their midfielder Manoj was the only man who initiated a few attacking moves. However, the forward line consisting Irshad, Mohseen and Ritik couldn’t convert the opportunities.
Making most of the uninspiring show of Sadar men, Ilyas got back into the action and gave a soft lobbed pass to striker Arbaz on the right, who struck it to the left corner of the goal and made everyone watch it like a spectator, as he swelled the lead 2-0 in the 10th minute.
After getting the lead, Nagpur Blues opted for a safe play and rolled the game keeping the possession. Meanwhile, owning to a lapse from a defender, Sadar FC’s forward Sanket got an opening but he struck it wide.
Within two minutes from the miss, Nagpur Blues’ other defender Himanshu committed a hand-ball foul in the penalty area and match referee Ajinkya Tiwari awarded penalty. Sadar FC’s Raque Anthony converted the kick to bring down the lead 2-1.
In the second half, Sadar FC looked determined to change the tempo of the game. They even managed to put the opposition on the back foot by coming close to scoring thrice. It even looked like they would draw the parity and hold the Blues.
However, the plan of Sadar FC was foiled by Amol in the 69th minute by smartly placing the brilliant cross from Arbaz into the goal. Sadar’s goalkeeper Pillay could have easily gathered the Arbaz’s cross but he waited for the defender to clear the ball and that proved costly.
When two minutes were left in the match, Tapan, who replaced Arbaz in 70th minute, made it 4-1 by scoring off a cross from Amol from right.
Start a Conversation
Post comment