Manorama Gold Cup: HAL makes it to semis

HAL Bangalore entered to the semi finals of Malayala Manorama Gold Cup Invitation Football Tournament at Seethi Haji Floodlit Stadium Edavanna on Saturday the 16th January 2010 by defeating Army XI kolkata for 3 goals to 1

First half an hour play was controlled by Army XI but their strikers LN Munda,T.L.Kuki and Gordon Zorom Chhana couldnot score due to some marvelous saves by the HAL goal keeper Amar Dev. Army XI also were guilty of not utilizing 4 corner kicks awarded in favour of them.

But HAL managed to score against the run of play in the 28th minute by their captain Xavier Vijayakumar. In 39th minute J.Murali who was standing at the left side unmarked by receiving a pass from Rajendra Prasad doubled it for the Bangalore team

The 2nd half started Army XI attacking but the HAL again succeeded in nullifying those moves
HAL added one more and took their lead to 3 at the 50th minute. Karthikeyan finding the name in the scoresheet.

On conceding 3 goals Army men fought like war field which ended in scoring their one and only goal of the day at the 59th minute through their striker Gordon Zorom Chhana.

On scoring their first goal Army XI began to attack the goal post but they failed in front of the HAL goal keeper Amar Dev,who was in excellent form

Win seals the semifinal berth for HAL while KSEB will play Vasco in a decider tomorrow which will decide the second team from the pool to the final four.

From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Sunday 17 January 2010, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.