When will HAL form their team?

With just a day left to register players for transfer window one of this season, I-league division I entrant HAL is yet to come-up with a team list. After making several attempts to get the team composition over past couple of weeks, coach Muralidharan again requested to wait for a day.

This is a definite slackness from the part of HAL management. It is a well know fact that there are several shortcomings for a public sector team. However, they had a good 3-months window to close on quality players of their choice. Rather than going in that path, they took things easily, and conducted a trial-cum-practice sessions for last 2 week.

As expected, the quality of players seen in the trial were miserable as the top ones already got their club. So HAL had to content themselves by selecting from a below average lot, who primarily came into the fray after not managing to get a club elsewhere.

The team management can always argue about the bureaucracy and protocols involved in running a sports team for a public sector organization like HAL. However, they should take a leaf out of another I-league division I newcomer, ONGC. The oil major had a vision right from the beginning and managed to set a formidable side.

What else can you ask for when ONGC have picked 3 core players from HAL?

Who are the outstation players?

HAL coach was kind enough to inform the selected outstation players who came here for trial - former Mohun Bagan and Air India player James Singh (junior), Bengkok Nameirakpam from Lajong FC, Kalia Kulothungan, who played for Mohun Bagan last season, and Meikinlung from NISA.

Though the first 3 players came from division I club, they were barely seen playing regularly for their team. Last year, Kulothungan played few I-league matches with minimal success.

The goal keeping position will be an all-Kerala affair, with keepers taken from Malabar United and Viva Kerala. Also, HAL is inducting taken few players from Salgaongar and Indian Bank.

Foreigners?

Well, the tried-and-tested in Bangalore Fredick Ockwagbe and Abdulla Hamza. How well they perform in the national-level is yet to be seen. The latest of the coup is in the form of Rohit Chand, a junior international player from Nepal, who represented his country in the AFC U-19 qualifiers. The 4th foreigner position still remains empty. HAL might fill the vacant slot during the second transfer window.


How about the local talents?

The local players got the raw deal for sure!

It was quite evident that the players on HAL roll, Xavier VijayKumar, Rajendra Prasad, and Satish Kumar Sr will be automatic choice. Midfielder J Murali makes to the team. Veteran striker and former international RC Prakash makes a comeback after maintaining a low profile for couple of seasons.

What is baffling is the shoddy treatment given to a host of local players. Remember, these talented local players helped HAL to regain lost glory. Instead of rewarding them by extending their contract, they were told to join the practice session. These guys wanted to be a part of this Bangalore team, so they continued practicing without asking for a contract.

Doesn’t stop here. These players were again told to join the trials and after attending trial for two weeks they were shown the door. Moreover, this happens at the end of the transfer window and they have no option to choose a club.

Talented midfielder Karthigayen joins BEML after playing 3 seasons with HAL

Former Under-19 India international Chethan Kumar is yet to be contacted

Club management could have handled it in a better way by informing them in well advance. Few players got offers from Goa and Kerala. However, they got verbal assurance hoping to continue with the same club and didn’t went ahead with it.


Curious case of Amar Deb

After playing under the bar without missing a single match last season, experienced custodian Amar Deb was left in the lurch. On last Firday, he was told by the club authority that they don’t need him, got better quality keepers, and can only include him if he aggress to play in the same remuneration he got last season.

And guess what, Amar was promised a double salary hike after HAL got promoted in the I-league division I. To be precise, the former keeper of East Bengal, Amar has played 32 games in the last season and many times risking injury.

He has been reliable under the post and helped HAL in several occasions, be it the Manorama Gold Cup, Federation Cup, or I-League Division II. 

A jubilant Amar after taking HAL to I-league Division I

He was going thru the turmoil when he got a second lease on life. Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan summoned him after their under-19 keeper got injured. Amar left for Kolkata on last Sunday and he has submitted his inter-state transfer application yesterday.

Amar is glad to be a part of Mohun Bagan. He might not be an obvious choice for the starting line-up, but he is confident of his ability to put a good show in practice, and make it to the team.

Key HAL players move on

If you thought that Satish Kumar Jr. joining Mohun Bagan is the only loss for HAL, then you are completely mistaken. Attacking midfielder Jotin Singh and half-backs Bimal Minz and Ricky Joy are all set to don the colors of ONGC in this season. 

Interestingly, both the teams, ONGC and HAL have qualified from the ranks of division 2 to 1 in the I-League, and surely these dependable players from HAL impressed the ONGC bosses who were present in the Bangalore football stadium during the month of May.

After spending a fruitful season with HAL, the promising player from Manipur, Jotin Singh has already joined his new team. Garden City Soccer Stars spoke with this nippy mid-fielder when he was en route to Goa to attend a pre-seasoning camp.

 
Jotin sounded optimistic, “Always a sad feeling to leave a successful team and the friends I’ve made there. However, as a professional footballer, I’ve to look for my growth.” 



“The ONGC officials kept persuading me for some time. On the other hand, there was no response from the HAL management. They didn’t take the players into confidence, barring coach no one spoke to me. Seemed management was not serious in making a formidable side!”

“Not to forget the remuneration part, this is three-fold of what I got in HAL last season”. Quips Jotin.
 

Ditto is the case with Bimal Minz, a TFA alumni and Ricky Joy. One thing is apparent with the key players leaving HAL, team management has failed to keep the core team.

With the HAL team selection trial gathering momentum, we should be optimistic about building a competitive team. However, one can always question about the way they are working up to it.

When the rest of the I-League division 1 teams have already announced their squad and started their pre-season campaign, here we have a newly-promoted I-League division 1 team struggling to make a decent team.

ONGC seal first division spot

Playing like a true champ, ONGC defeated Sesa Football Academy, Goa convincingly and booked their berth for the coveted I-League division 1. Early strike by the strikers Babatunde and Tarif Ahmed made the difference and the rookies from Sesa never got a chance to get back to the game.

ONGC clinched the license to play for the I-league

division 1 next season with absolute dominance. Their endeavor in the final leg has been a revelation. They have played like a champion, wining all but one match so far, and already achieved what they wanted before playing their last round match.

The oilmen took the field to make early inroads. They got their first goal in the 5th minute thru Nigerian Badmus Babatunde. 13 minutes later it was time for Babatunde’s partner Tarif to score the second goal. Sitting pretty on a two-goal lead, ONGC played posessional, controlled the game and kept the Sesa wards at bay.

After coming very close to I-League division 1 in the last two seasons, the Mumbai outfit finally made it this time.


Pathetic display by Mohammedan

Mohammedan Sporting continued their dismal show by playing a 1-1 draw with Malabar United. Mohammedan took the field leaving behind their foreign imports that were unceremoniously released by the club management owing to pathetic performance in the final rounds of I-League division 2.

They started-off in a shaky note, Malabar quickly utilized the situation and took lead in the 8th minute of the match by a goal from Nigerian Loveday. Neelandra Deewan scored the equalizer in 56th minute.

Mohammedan should consider themselves lucky for not conceding any more goals. Malabar should have scored at least 4 more goals. They simply could not score goals, missed penalty, missed easiest of the easy sitters.

Result:

• Malabar Utd  (Loveday-8’) 1 Mohammedan Sporting (Neelandra-56’) 1
• ONGC (Babatunde-5' and Tarif-18’) 2 Sesa Football Academy 0

Next Match - May 24 (Round 7):

• HAL versus Sesa Football Academy, 2 pm
• Vasco versus Mohammedan Sporting, 4 pm

ONGC topples HAL

HAL got the first taste of defeat in the I-League division 2 final round by loosing to ONGC 2-1. All the goals were scored in the first half. ONGC took the lead in the 3rd minute of the game, HAL were quick to restore parity through Satish Kumar jr. ONGC netted another one in the 32nd minute and sealed the fate for HAL. In the 2nd match of the day, two bottom-ranked teams, Sesa and NISA played 1-1 draw.

It was a fight between the top teams. The spectators of the city team came in good numbers, they played drums to encourage the players throughout the match. However, HAL disappointed them by missing a penalty, missing easy chances, and displaying some aimless football in the second-half.

Nigerian striker Babatunde opened ONGC’s account in the 3rd minute - he receives a pass left to the left side of the box and intelligently places the ball to the far post, out of keepers reach.

HAL tried to hold the game in midfield, the equalizer came from a beautiful thru ball from Jotin Singh – Rajendra Prasad who was marching ahead from the right flank receives the ball and floats a center, Fredrick misses it, but Satish Kumar jr who was unmarked at the far post makes no mistake in putting the ball to the goal.

ONGC took the lead again, thanks to some shoddy work by the HAL defense - Jai Kumar fails to clear the ball cleanly, ONGC winger Naresh catches the ball, and takes an accurate long ranger.

HAL should have equalized in the early 2nd half – Nigerian striker Fredreick was brought down by an ONGC defender inside the box. Referee didn’t hesitate to declare a penalty. However, skipper Rajendra Prasad’s shot to the left side was easily saved by keeper Bilifang.

HAL was trying hard to get back into the game, but some good defending by ONGC did not make that happen. Sathish Kumar jr who earlier missed few chances was heavily marked and could not crack the ONGC defense.

The last 20 minutes were marred by some time-wasting tactics employed by ONGC and some aimless football by HAL.

ONGC remain the only team unbeaten so far and virtually booked their place in the 1st division. After loosing points today, HAL is in the 2nd spot with a point less from the leaders.

Result:

• ONGC 2 (Babatunde-3 and Naresh-32') beat HAL 1 (Satish Kumar jr)
• SESA 1 (Israil Gurung-66') - NISA 1 (Dewan Singh-81')

Next Match - May 20 (Round 6):

• HAL versus NISA, 2 pm
• Vasco Sports Club versus Oil India , 4 pm

Mohammedan Sporting struggle to beat Sesa; Tarif’s trick floors oil men

Mohammedan made a heavy weather of defeating bottom-ranked Sesa by 2-1. Theo and defender Debkumar Sashmal scored a goal each in either half. Jaiganesh Koltekar scored one for Sesa in the 2nd half. In an earlier rather

entertaining match played today, ONGC brightened their position to qualify for the final round by bulldozing the other public sector team, Oil India 4-1.

National team striker, Tarif Ahmed scored the first hat-trick of the final edition.
 

Lagging 4th behind HAL, ONGC, and Vasco, Mohammedan needed to win this match in a convincing fashion to stay in contention for promotion. Mohammedan scored the first goal in the 38th minute in Liberian Theodore.

Both the teams opened up many chances and missed as many in the game. In the early second-half, Sesa came back into the game by a goal from rookie Jaiganesh Koltekar. 5 minutes after the equalizer, Theo took the ball from the left flank and penetrated inside the box, Jothikumar who was rightly-positioned, failed to connect the ball properly.

In the 59th minute, substitute Nilendra Deewan took a horrible wide shot away from the goal. It came to him from a deflection from Theo’s shot, which was perfectly floated from the right-flank.

Sesa striker Israil Gurung, who broke an off-side trap, was set alone with the keeper in the front in the 68th minute. However, he was tripped down by defender Samuel Shore at the top of the penalty box. Mid-fielder, Prathesh Shirodkar’s free kick was shot wide.

Mohammedan took the lead in 79th minute, Edu was cutting in dangerously

from the left flank until the defender cleared it for corner. Edu took the corner that was meant for Theo, which the later closely missed, finally opportunistic defender Debkumar Sashmal who closely followed and placed the ball into the goal.

Sesa later came back and started pressurizing Mohammedan defense, but failed to keep the ball into the goal-area.

Post match comments:

Shabbir Ali, coach, Mohammedan Sporting: Disappointing show again, never

seen my team playing so badly. I thought we would pull this out easily, but it turned otherwise. Other challenge is that two important players are out for the next match due to double booking. Don’t have options in all departments; have to shuffle the playing positions.

Clifford Chukwuma, coach, Sesa: Our boys created many opportunities but lacked in penetration and final touch. Even blew several set-pieces from crucial positions. Also, we’re missing our main striker, who is injured and played an important role in Goa’s Santosh Trophy victory last year.

Theodore Sunday Wrobeh, scorer, Mohammedan Sporting: We’ve won today, and there are 3 more rounds to play, so all is not lost, we need to come well in the remaining matches..

Result:

• ONGC 4 (Tarif Ahmed-28', 44', and 66' and Badmus Babatunde-38') beat Oil India ( H L Route-76')
• Mohammedan Sporting 2 (Theodore Sunday-38' and Debkumar Sashmal-79') beat Sesa Football Academy 1 (Jaiganesh Koltekar-49')

Next Match - May 13 (Round 4):

• Malabar United versus NISA, 2 pm
• HAL versus Vasco, 4 pm

Mohammedan cut short NISA

Playing better football today, Mohammedan Sporting outclassed nippy NISA, Manipur 2-0. Foreign recruits, Theodore Sunday and Edu Escobar scored a goal in each half. In the earlier match, ONGC, riding on Babatunde’s goal defeated Vasco 1-0.

It was match of tactics over speed and stamina. Knowing that his lads would not be able to cope-up with speedy NISA, Mohammedan coach Shabbir Ali, played a posessional game.

Sporting meant business right from the starting of the game. In the very 1st minute, Edu floated a nice long ball for Jyothikumar, and Jyothikumar in turn made complete a mess of it. It was Edu’s turn in the 8th minute, he was completely caught unaware of a ball centered from right wing.

Theo made a good solo run in the 10th minute and gave the final pass for Edu, which the later failed to connect.

The midfield operated very well for Mohammedan with Jyotikumar making speedy runs from both sides in turn. The defense too, lead by Aussie Samuel Jordan and Anupam Sarkar carried out their role.

Mohammedan looked more composed today. Edu was sharper on the dead ball situations and Theo made several solo runs from the half.

NISA came close to scoring in the 35th minute with a nice move, Santosh Singh made a long area with the ball, and then crossed the ball from the right, the ball beat keeper Nassem but, couldn’t get into the direction of the goal.

Jyotikumar, operating quickly from the left flank was brought down in 38th minute. Set-piece expert, Edu took a curving free-kick to the left-post, the ball hit the keeper’s chest, Theo managed to get the ball on the rebound, and put it inside the net.

A serious lapse in defense from Debkumar Sashmal could have cost Sporting a goal in the 2nd minute of 2nd half. Theo continuously attacked from the front, however, he failed to the score any more goal. At times he took too long to move inside the box and later outsmarted by NISA defense. He should have scored at least 2 more goals today.

NISA made few quick counters, but they lacked the sharpness in the striking area.

Edu displayed some exemplary skills with the ball today, though he lacks on speed and tenacity, but he covered that with his some crisp-touches and error-free passes.

The match official was almost going to blow his long whistle, when the 2nd goal came for Mohammedan. Theo seized the ball from the opponent and passed it to medio Babin, who in turn, passed the ball from the penalty box region to Edu. Edu coming from the right side, shot the ball accurately to the goal.

Talking to GardenCity Soccer Stars, coach Shabbir Ali, sounded satisfied. He said the boys played better football today. He liked the way his boys created goal scoring opportunities, though missed many. However, he is confident about increasing the conversion rates. Striker Edu, who had a field day today, looked happy to be within the goals.

NISA coach, Lakhsmichand Singh blamed inexperience for the result today. “It is a learning experience for us, out guys lacks the experience needed in this level”. He will try to blood some rookies in the next game and expects to put up a better show.

Mohammedan Sporting plays against board leader HAL in their 3rd round match on Sunday, May 9, 4 pm.

Result:

• ONGC 1 (Badmus Babatunde-47’) Vasco Sports Club 0
• Mohammedan Sporting 2 (Theodore Sunday-38’ and Edu-90+3) NISA, Manipur 0

Next Match - May 8 (Round 3):

• Sesa Football Academy versus Oil India, 2 pm
• Malabar United versus ONGC, 4 pm

Mohammedan only manages a draw against ONGC

It was an apparent tame start for Mohammedan Sporting in the I-League 2nd division final round. They were down by a goal in the most of the time, until a smart free kick from Brazilian Edu Escobar in the 75th minute helped them to garner 1 point.

Mohammedan started well with some nice moves from the center. However, they conceded goal in the 32nd minute when ONGC skipper Jatin Singh Bist gave an accurate pass to Naresh, Naresh obliged his skippers pass with a nice curling kick to the far post, which was beyond the reach of the stretched keeper Nasim Akhtar.

Mohammedan defense lacked the much needed coordination with several miss passes. ONGC’s striker Babatudne came close to scoring in couple of occasions.

Striker duo Edu and Liberian Teodor Sunday Wobreh lacked mobility and failed to penetrate. Rather than moving with the ball, Edu depended heavily on his set-piece moves.

Mohammedan coach and former India international, Shabbir Ali replaced a mid-fielder Nelandra Deewan for a defender in Anupam Sarkar in the second-half. This was a smart move as Nelandra’s inclusion gave stability in the midfield for Mohammedan.

Mohammedan could have leveled in early second half - Jyothi Kumar put a fine cross for Theo in the 49th minute, however, the Liberian’s shot, who received the ball and was wonderfully positioned went wide.

The equalizer came when Nelandra Deewan was brought-down at the top of the box. Edu, whose earlier 3 free-kicks failed to yield any result, was successful this time - his kick on the right side of the post had precision, kissed the horizontal bar, and went inside the goal.

In the  87th minute, keeper Nasim Akthar came up with a brilliant save from Babatunde shot.

The ONGC stoppers, Krishna Shirodkar and Bolaji Majek kept the defense tight, they didn’t give much space to Theo and Edu to maneuver. They pressed hard in the later part of 2nd half with replacement Tarif Ahmed and Babatunde combining well, ably supported by Jatin Bist from the mid-field, however, they failed to score any goal.

NISA Oil India Split Points

In what could be termed as the most entertaining match so far in the 2nd division final phase, two teams from the North-East played a fast-paced game. Oil India took the lead in the 33rd minute thru an H Wary goal, few minutes later NISA scored the equalizer via Malemnganba Meetei. 

The teams from Manipur and Assam had the speed, however, the strikers lacked the finishing touch. Manipuri fans thronged the stadium in huge numbers.

 Result:

• Mohammedan Sporting Club 1(Edu Escobar-75’) versus ONGC 1(A Naresh-32’)
• NISA, Manipur 1(Malemnganba Meetei 41') versus Oil India 1(H. Wary 33')

Next Match - May 4 (Round 2):

• Malabar United versus Sesa Football Academy, 2 pm
• HAL versus Oil India, 4 pm