Karnataka thrash Gujarat 4-0 to make it to semis in dramatic style

AIFF Media

Karnataka capped off a dramatic final game in Group B to beat Gujarat 4-0 and qualify for the semi finals of the Hero 75th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy at the Manjeri Payyanad Football Stadium here on Monday. 

Services' victory over Odisha earlier in the day had upset the comfortable apple cart that was this group. The math, leading into this final group stage game was simple. Karnataka needed to win by a three goal margin to go through. 

For the first half an hour of the game, Gujarat were barely allowed to breathe. In the fourth minute of the game, even as the football hungry crowd was settling into the Manjeri Payyanad, Karnataka had their first crack at the goal, Sudheer Kotikela shooting wide from a tight angle.  

Eight minutes later, they had the lead, Sudheer Kotikela picking up a brilliantly played through ball from midfield, driving into the box from the right, and unleashing a perfect finish into the bottom far corner. His team had the lead, but Kotikela realising the need for more, refused to celebrate, picking the ball up and urging his teammates towards the restart. 

Wave upon wave of Karnataka attacks descended on the Gujarat goal, their defenders sliding, twisting, and heading balls away constantly. n the 19th minute, off a half-cleared corner, Kotikela found himself with the ball at the edge of the box. The forward set himself up, opening his body, looking to curl the ball towards the top right corner. Unfortunately, he blazed high and wide. 

Gujarat offered some attacking vigour of their own, Anirudhsinh Thakor crosing superbly into the Karnataka box in the 23rd minute, the ball curling into a dangerous area yards from goal. If Jay Kanani had been a step faster it would've been the equaliser, but it wasn't to be. Karnataka took it personally and stepped up the ante. 

In the 28th, P Kamalesh, a twinkle toed midfielder with flair unlike any other, collected a square pass from D Arun Kumar at the edge of the Gujarat area, switched feet, cutting past Harshil Parekh and Muhammed Sagar Ali as if they weren't even there, before opening up his body and curling for the right corner of goal. His shot was perfect, and the finish glorious. Karnataka were two to the good. 

Within minutes, they had their crucial third. Prashanth Kalinga ran into space on the right and curled a superb cross into a dangerous area in Karnataka's box. Despite being sandwiched by two defenders, Kotikela, five yards from goal, sent a first time finish into the net. His team were in rapture. And on a rampage. Suddenly, with just half an hour gone, Karnataka were dreaming of the semi-finals. 

They could've confirmed it in the first half itself, Kamalesh's footwork causing the Gujarata defence all kinds of problems in dangerous areas. The teams went into halftime with Karnataka leading by three goals to nothing. 

Gujarat came out for the second half with a little more urgency. Having had no shots on goal in the first half, completely overwhelmed by Karnataka's play, they sought to play themselves into the tie. For the most part they succeeded, their wingers moving much better and producing better balls for Jay Kanani to have a go with. 

In the 52nd the youngster almost pulled one back, played through clean on goal, with only the goalkeeper to beat. A goal then would've turned the tie inside out and the group too. As it was though, S Siju was at hand, the defender putting in a heroic tackle to take the ball off Kanani and save Karnataka the blushes. 

Much like it had in the first half, the half chance spurred Karnataka into action, as they took control of the ball with more ferocity. Right on the hour mark, a cross from D Arun Kumar on the left, dropped the ball perfectly to Magesh Selva in the box. The forward didn't miss, connecting neatly to put Karnataka in dreamland. 

They stayed there for the remaining third of the game, controlling possession brilliantly, creating chances and threatening to score more, all while keeping Gujarat at safe distance. At the referee's final whistle, it was jubilation, in the stands and on the pitch.

South United held to 1-1 draw by Independents

South United Media 

An interesting tie that could have gone either way finished all even at 1-1 in the end with goals in either half. South United scored early post lemon-break but were unable to make the best of their impetus to close the door and let Independents back into the game. 

South United had defender Shinu and attacker Aaron D’Costa were back in their line-up after their return from suspension and injury respectively. 

South United FC began the game well on the front foot against a determined Bangalore Independents side. The action for the first 45 minutes remained firmly in the opposition half for SUFC which saw them constantly trying to break down the opposition. 

They created chances constantly but were unable to convert any of them. They continued to press the Bangalore Independents defence in the first half but found no breakthroughs. They were thwarted on a few occasions by good goalkeeping or defending, but they squandered a few where a little more composure would have meant a greater lead. 

The second half saw more of the same as SUFC pressed forward but were not as incisive in front of goal. The breakthrough for them came in the 66th minute when club captain Magesh found the back of the net with a well-placed shot. 

Soon after they scored, it began to look like they may rue their missed chances as Independents got a bit of a hold in the game and started to create chances of their own. 

Bangalore Independents struck in the 82th minute to equalise. It was a blow to SUFC and though they pressed for the win, the time was against them. They found a few more chances before the end but once again were let down by poor finishing.

South United sneak narrow win over Kickstart

South United Media

Despite missing a few key players through injury and suspension, South United FC team managed a 1-0 victory over a determined Kickstart FC. 

South United dictated all the early play keeping the ball and passing it around, but their task was made difficult by a resolute and organised Kickstart FC defence. The ball may have been South United FC’s but all the chances in the first half fell to Kickstart FC. South United FC’s goalkeeper Jayanth kept them in the game with a stellar few saves. 

Wave after wave of SUFC attacks looked toothless for most of the first half with Kickstart’s low block in defence forcing them wide on most occasions. Kickstart should’ve been ahead on several breaks they had, the most notable being their striker being played through on goal and the SUFC custodian stranded having found himself at the edge of his box with the striker bearing down on him. Jayanth rushed back into position and a moment’s indecision from the striker meant that the eventual shot was wide. 

South United spent overall at least 5 minutes of the first half playing with 10 men as their centre back Krishanu was treated for a blow to the head. He returned to the pitch for a short while, but eventually was unable to continue. 

His replacement was Kishori, which meant a reshuffle sending defensive midfielder Sharukh Rahman to slot in beside Nidhin Krishna as makeshift centre back, Sooraj moving into midfield, and Kishori leading the line. 

They remained ineffective going forward as the half drew to a close. Kickstart threatened on a couple more occasions, but their finishing let them down
The second half began with more of an ebb and flow, both sides seemed to be going for the goal, but neither could find a penetrative attack in the early minutes. 

Kickstart forged the first real chance of the second half through some clever play down the right wing on a break. The winger beat the South United left back in a footrace and played in a low cross to find a team-mate, but his ball was just behind the onrushing striker and smacked against a defender before being collected by the keeper. 

South United FC found the goal they had been looking for as Riswanali was brought down on the left flank closer to the halfway line than the goal. Magesh stood over the freekick and played Manivannan through. The little winger ran onto the ball, knocked it past the defender and ran past him to knock in a cross that found Sooraj who made no mistake with his head from 6 yards out to give his side the lead. 

Kickstart FC almost had the perfect response at the other end as they threatened from kick off, but the striker couldn’t keep his shot low under pressure from Nidhin. The goal breathed life into the South United FC attack, they seemed to find the openings they were missing earlier as Kickstart threw men forward as well. 

The last few minutes saw both sides exchanging blows but SUFC showed strength and calm to keep their lead and collect all 3 points.