Jammu and Kashmir Bank overcame Sesa Goa 7-6 in sudden death to move into the final of the G.V. Raja all-India football tournament at the University stadium on Saturday.
The teams were level 2-2 at the end of regulation time and 6-all at the end of the penalty shootout. In sudden death Jammu’s Khalid Qayoom converted, while Nicolo Colaco blasted his attempt out to hand over the victory to the Bankmen.
Jammu and Kashmir should thank its captain and goalkeeper Vickramjeet Singh, who made at least five crucial saves. Though he blasted his penalty kick out, he made amends by stopping Augustine Fernandez’s attempt in the shootout.
The Goans were the better side on the field. But Sesa goalkeeper Shayon Roy conceded a penalty by bringing down Badru Keke Ibrahim in the 27th minute. He made amends by stopping the penalty kick taken by Bilal Amhed.
Shayon’s mistake paved the way for Bank’s equaliser in the second half as his goal kick came to an unmarked Keke in front of the Goan goal.
The Goans had the match in control after taking the lead through Israil Guranag’s goal in the 15th minute. But Keke was again brought down by Vincent Pires which resulted in the second penalty for the Bankmen. Keke himself took the kick and restored parity in the 33rd minute.
But five minutes later Marcus Maschrenas restored the lead for the Goans finding the net from an acute angle.
In the second half played under lights, Vickramjeet twice denied Guranag and then thwarted Savio Canerio’s attempts.
The equaliser for J& K Bank came in the 64th minute.
In the penalties, Kareem Omolaja, Keke Ibrahim, Intikhab Alam, Budin Mondal and Khalid Qayoom scored for the Bankmen while Vickramjeet blasted out. For the Goans, Savio Canerio, Inacioa Colaco, Sidny Alfonso, Marcus Maschrenas scored while Augstine’s kick was saved by Vickramjeet and Nicolo Colaco’s shot in the sudden death was wide.
Source: The Hindu
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Monday 15 February 2010, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.