Viva Kerala were defeated 2-0 by JCT Mills FC in the first group match of the Under-19 Football Tournament for I-League clubs.
Viva were caught off guard in their opening fixture, as they found it difficult to adjust to the climate at Phagwara in Punjab. They were also affected by inexperience and lack of match practice as they conceded two quick and early goals to a much superior academy team of JCT.
After going two goals down in the first half, Viva players managed to settle into the game and created a few chances in the later stages, but they failed to score against the hosts. Viva Kerala's Abhishekh N Joshy was the stand out performer for the Kerala team.
"Despite conceding two goals and losing the match, I am very much satisfied with the team. Also we found it hard to adjust to the climate here, " said the team's coach Bino George. "I am very pleased with the attacking display of Abhishekh. He really has got lot of talent and is a player for the future," he added.
Viva Kerala will now play HAL on April 28 in their last group match and must win with a huge margin to hope for a place in the next stage. They will have to do it without their first choice keeper who got injured during the opening match.
From the archive. First published on footballkerala.com on Wednesday 27 April 2011, restored from the site's 2012 database. Text as originally published.