Subhash Bhowmick no more

Former India international player and coach and bronze medalist winner of the 1970 Bangkok Asian Games Football, Subhash Bhowmick, 71, passed away today in the wee hours of morning at Kolkata. 

He was suffering from Kidney ailment for past few years and regularly undergoing dialysis. 

Bhowmick was one of the few rare breeds in Indian football who equally dazzled as a player and coach. After hanging boots, he donned the role of a football coach and manager. 

Not only did he managed the top three Kolkata Clubs, but also coached Salgaocar and Churchill Brothers in Goa. For the latter Goan team, he won the I-League title in 2012-13 season. 

Before that He coached East Bengal to win the Kolkata Football League from 2002-2004, the San Miguel Cup in Kathmandu in 2004, the National Football League (back-to-back) in 2002-03, and 2003-04, the IFA Shield in 2002, the Independence Day Cup in 2002, and the Durand Cup in 2002.

At the domestic level, Bhowmick represented Bengal in the Santosh Trophy in 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973 (captain), and in 1975, winning it 4 times (in 1969,1971,1972,1975), scoring 24 goals.

At the club level, he played for East Bengal in 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, and scored 82 goals. He helped the Red and Golds win the Calcutta Football League in 1973, 1974, 1975; the IFA Shield in 1973, 1974, 1975; the Rovers Cup in 1969, 1973; the DCM Trophy in 1973, 1974); and the Bordoloi Trophy in 1973. He also played for Mohun Bagan in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978 and finished with 84 goals. He helped Mohun Bagan to win the Calcutta Football League in 1976, 1978; IFA Shield in 1976 (joint-winners), 1977, 1978 (joint-winners); the Federation Cup in 1978 (joint-winners); the Rovers Cup in 1970, 1971, 1972 (joint-winners), 1977; the Durand Cup in 1977; the Nehru Trophy in 1970; the Bordoloi Trophy in 1976, 1977; the Darjeeling Gold Cup in 1976 (joint-winners); and the Sait Nagjee Trophy in 1978.

Subhash Bhowmick was always known for his involvement with the beautiful game, a great communicator, and an avid learner. 

Naranyanswamy Ulaganathan recalled the time he spent with Bhowmick during his playing days in Mohun Bagan club and Santosh Trophy for Bengal. 

“He was a very good person, in the 1975 Santosh Trophy at Kozhikode that Bengal won, he was literally unstoppable, easily getting past his opponents, he also scored a hattrick in that edition”, remembered from Hyderabad. “My condolences to his family", Ulaga concludes the conversation. 

Two city-based referees qualify for National level

In a record of sorts, for the first time two women referees from the state have qualified as national referee.

Harsha Saini and Pooja have successfully cleared the written examination for category two upgradation held in Gwalior on January 11, 2022 according to an AIFF letter. Among men, Thobias Mervin and Bhagavat Sunder passed as Referee and Abhilash M Suresh qualified as Assistant Referee.

Harsha Saini and Pooja started their refereeing career in 2017. They cleared Project Future India course for referees in 2019 and attended Women's MA course for referees in 2020 and 2021. 

Both officiated in the Indian Women's League Qualifiers, I-League matches within state, Women's Super Division, A Division, Men's A, B, and C Division matches, and KSFA Youth League.

 

Lightning first half display helps Kickstart beat Bengaluru FC and keep them in title contention

Bengaluru FC Media  

Kickstart FC’s four first half goals were enough to see pick up all three points, in a BDFA Super Division encounter at the Bangalore Football Stadium, on Tuesday. Goals from Ankith P (12’), Solaimalai (33’, 45’) and Princewill Olariche (42’) saw Kickstart get off to a flying start. The Blue Colts managed to score twice in the second half but it would count for nothing. Macarton Nickson (47’) and Robin Yadav (89’) got on the scoresheet for Bengaluru FC.  

It was Ankith’s in the 12th minute of the game who found himself in a great position during Kickstart FC’s first attack of the game, and managed to get a shot off his right foot to send the ball past Dipesh Chauhan in goal. Bengaluru FC kept pressing for the equaliser but their efforts were futile after Solaimalai’s initial shot was saved, but the rebound fell kindly to the same player only for him to curl it past Dipesh in goal to double the lead in the 33rd minute. 

The Blue Colts struggled to find their rhythm which resulted in Kickstart FC capitalising and scoring two more in the last five minutes of the game. Princewill Olariche scored KFC’s third of the afternoon after putting his laces through the ball on the volley and burying into the bottom corner. It went from bad to worse for the Blues as Solaimalai scored his second goal of the game in the dying minutes of the first half after finding himself in the right place at the right time in the box and booting it into the roof of the net from close range. 

The Blue Colts came out a different team in the second half and were on the attack from the get go. Bengaluru FC scored within the first two minutes of the second half after a beautifully threaded through ball from Thoi Singh found Macarton Nickson who made the perfect run to stay onside to find himself in a 1v1 position with the goalkeeper. 

The forward kept his cool and slotted it past Jayanthkumar Krishnamurthy to make it 4-1. Macarton made all the right noise after coming on in the second half creating multiple chances for the Blue Colts. The BFC number ten found himself through on goal again in the 80th minute and was brought down by the goalkeeper, but the referee chose to wave on play. Bengaluru did get a penalty awarded to them a minute from time, that Robin Yadav converted to make it 4-2.

FCBU thrash ADE, remains favorite to retain BDFA Super Division title

FCBU Media 

Defending champions ended their BDFA Super Division 2021-22 in empathic style, with a 6-0 victory over ADE in their final game of the campaign. Ronaldo Oliviera (7, 58), James Singh (43), Asrar Rehbar (68) Nihal Colaco (83, 91) were the goal scorers for the defending champions, who ended the tournament as table toppers – a position they have held from the start of the tournament.

Both teams started off slowly under sunny skies but it was FCBU who opened their account in the 7th minute. A well-crafted pass from Anup from the left wing allowed for an easy tap in for Oliveira to get on the scoreboard. Both sides struggled to pick up the pace after FCBU’s initial onslaught – the shackles were finally broken in the 43rd minute with Anup in the thick of things once again.  Anup’s corner was taken by Denil Rebello – his shot on goal was deflected but James was quick to seize the opportunity to get FCBU 2-0 up.

FCBU picked up the pace in the second half, looking far more positive and aggressive in creating opportunities. In the 58th minute, Asrar’s low ball on goal was cleared by the ADE defender only to see Ronaldo make the most of the opportunity and get FCBU up 3-0. Ten minutes later, Asraf Mondal’s free kick was capitalized on by Asrar as FCBU galloped to 4-0.

In the 83rd minute, Nihal was brought down in the box and the young striker didn’t waste the chance to convert the penalty. Lining up to take the shot, he powered it in with pin-point precision to get FCBU to 5-0.  And within a matter of minutes, Nihal had notched up his second goal of the tournament - spotting a Chelston Pinto header coming in, he set himself up to fire the header in to the back of the goal, putting in the finishing touches on what was a commanding victory for FC Bengaluru United.  

With this win, FCBU have retained their position as table toppers – a position they held right from the start of the tournament – as well as being the side to have conceded the lowest goals in the tournament thus far. With 52 goals scored, FCBU have bettered the 2018-19 record for most goals scored in the tournament. An emphatic performance from the defending champions, who have remained undefeated right through, underlining their complete dominance over the tournament.

 

United play out goalless draw with Jawahar Union

FCBU Media 

FC Bengaluru United were held to a 0-0 draw by Jawahar Union in the ongoing BDFA Super Division League 2021-22. While FCBU played attacking football and had a few chances, they failed to convert any of them.

The defending champions began aggressively, taking control of possession right away. FCBU looked to create openings and attack while JU looked content to sit back and play the defensive game. This was the trend that continued right through the first half. One of the attacking plays by FCBU was a corner taken by Asraf Mondal that was successfully dealt with by the JU defence - this in turn was volleyed by Batskhemlang Thangkhiew only to have it blocked by the JU defence again.

The second half mirrored the first half – try as they might, FCBU were unable to penetrate the JU defence and close any of their attempts. Some of their closest chances came in the dying minutes of the game, a cross from Subash Singh on the right set up a clear shot for Luka Majcen, only to see the Slovenian miss an easy header chance; Denil Rebello’s powerful shot on goal was blocked by the JU goalkeeper.