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. 

Bengaluru share points with Mohun Bagan in high-voltage draw

AIFF Media
Bengaluru FC Media

A pleasant evening at the Garden City witnessed the duel between winners of the last two editions of Hero I-League. Bengaluru FC despite playing with one-man advantage for good 30-minutes, failed to break Bagan defense the match ended in a 0-0 draw. 

Also, it was a duel of sorts between the hundreds of Green and Maroon fans who travelled across the country and the home grown Blues’ supporters who flocked to the fortress to see their team’s win.  

Mohun Bagan kicked-off from left to right. Playing with a 4-4-2 formation - Darryl Duffy and Balwant Singh on the attack. 

The visitors made the first positive move in 4th minute orchestrated from the left flank. BFC got their initial chance in the 8th minute when Captain Sunil Chhetri fouled in the top of the 18-yard box, however the shot went wide. 

Earlier, Bengaluru continued with the same starting eleven from their last round match (against Chennai City FC) keeping Serbian Marjan Jugovic on the bench. 

Exchanging attacks Duffy took a nice lurking shot in the 18th minute, Bengaluru keeper Arindam put his fingertips to avoid the danger. 

Attacking football from both ends made the game beautiful for the fans. 

Keeper Arindam again came in action when Katsumi’s free-kick from a close position, which he earned from a foul that Balwant connected spectacularly saved. 

It was the Japanese Katsumi Yusa seen spearheading maximum attacks from the right flank for the visitors. Scot Duffy seen coming close to goal 

Bagan kept on adding pressure for most of the first half, missing target in few occasions. 

Back in the game post lemon break, Bengaluru pressed hard in Bagan defense, garnering couple of free-kicks and corners with no positive outcome. 

66th minute saw a brilliant thru from Katsumi for Haitian international Sony Norde that had goal written on it, unfortunately called offside. 

Few minute later Bagan suffered a big jolt when left back Subhasis Bose was given marching order by referee Srikrishna. Coach Sen promptly replaced striker Duffy with Prabir Das, playing as left full-back. 

High time for Bengaluru to put pressure on Bagan defense with one man advantage. 

A header from Sony Norde’s free-kick was put on the back of the Bengaluru’s net much to the joy of the Bangan crowd piled on the lower East Block. However, referee cancelled out owing to an infringement on keeper. 

The final five minutes saw a barrage of attack from the blues, but the Bagan defense kept calm and avoided late danger. 

Bengaluru FC keeper Arindam Bhattacharya took away the Hero of the Match. 

Bengaluru creates history, make it to the final of AFC Cup

Bengauru FC Media

Albert Roca’s boys script a stunning comeback to send the reigning champions Johor Darul Ta’zim packing with 3-1 win. It was a packed Sree Kanteerava Stadium, an inspired and stunning second half comeback saw Bengaluru FC etch their names in the annals of Indian football history by becoming the first club to make the final of the AFC. 

A brace from skipper Sunil Chhetri and a debut goal from Spanish defender Juan Gonzalez saw Bengaluru set up a summit clash against Iraq’s Air Force Club who beat Lebanese side Al Ahed in the first semifinal on Tuesday. What made the win even more special was the fact that it was the first time the Blues had beaten the Malaysian club in five meetings. 

For all the pressure Bengaluru threw at Johor, it was the visitors who scored first when Amrinder Singh’s parried save from a strike looped up and Safiq Rahim was at hand to nod home from five yards out. 

The Blues didn’t let the early set-back daunt them and began building up play with big spells of possession. And their best chance came in the 27th minute when 30 seconds of madness saw the ball whizz past the face of the JDT goal three times before Chhetri’s strike took a bit off the crossbar on its way out. 

But the skipper did have his goal in the 41st minute after Eugeneson Lyngdoh swung in a sublime corner that Chhetri sent into goal at the far post with a smartly flicked header, beating Mohammed Izham all ends up. 

Buoyed by the equaliser, Bengaluru refused to let half-time kill the tempo as Chhetri, Vineeth and Eugene kept causing all sorts of trouble for the JDT defence. But the buzz at the Fortress turned into a deafening roar when Chhetri picked his moment in the 66th minute to send home a screamer from 30 yards out as Bengaluru finally got the lead they deserved. 

Juan capped off a dominant performance and put the battle to bed when he rose to head home a free kick from Lyngdoh in the 76th minute. 

10-men Sporting Clube de Goa with help of Odafa's brace sinks Bengaluru

AIFF and Bengaluru FC Media 

Bengaluru FC fell to their second defeat of the season after an Odafa Okolie brace handed Ashley Westwood’s men a 2-1 defeat against Sporting Clube de Goa. CK Vineeth drew level for the Blues who had fallen behind in the 9th minute only for the Nigerian striker to give a 10-man Sporting the win with a goal in the second half.

Crowd at Sree Kanterava Stadium could hardly settle down when Bengaluru kicked-off a series of attack. They could have easily gone ahead within the first minute. They forced the first corner in the 6th minute of the game, but the effort from the debutante Michael Collins sailed over the crossbar.

Much to the horror of the vociferous home crowd, Flaming Oranje went ahead from a goal from veteran Odafa Oniyeka Okolie. The match was only 11th minute old when central defender John Johnson along with the ball came out from the box, after losing possession, he failed to fall back on time, therefore leaving dangerous striker open, Odafa receives the ball, and calmly places behind the net.  

Sporting enjoyed the ball possession for the next 15 minutes superbly controlled by Oranje midfielder Densil Theobald. 

In the 20th minute of the game, a foul was committed on Odafa. The free kick from a dangerous position, got deflected via Bengaluru FC player for a corner. While the corner was about to be taken, Sporting defender Ravanan elbowed Alwyn Goerge inside the box. Referee Venkatesh flashed yellow in no time. That was the second booking for Ravanan earning match suspension for the rest of the game. 

Quite unnecessary on Ravanan’s part considering his team was leading at that time. 

The last 15 minutes of the first half saw relentless attacks from the Blues with no joy in their way, perhaps much to do with Kim Song Yong and Chhetri’s off-form today and stout defending from Loveday and company. 

Luck was not on hosts’ favor till the first quarter of the second half, when a series of attacks failed to see the back of the net. 

Meanwhile, Ashley Westwood brought in speedy Beikhokhei for Thoi Singh.

Much needed equalizer came on Bengaluru’s was came from CK Vineeth in the 64th minute when his shot via deflection went past Sporting keeper Arindam. 

The eleven thousand strong spectators joy was short lived when a powerful shot from the top of the box from Odafa gave 10-men Sporting Clube De Goa a 2-1 lead. 

Despite playing with one player less, Sporting enjoyed their share of attacks primarily constituted by Odafa. Their keeper Arindam too had an excellent outing today, coming accurate in most of the time. 

Odafa was adjudged the Hero of the match. 

Bengaluru FC take on DSK Sivajians at home on Wednesday, February 10.