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Governor's Gold Cup: Three Star Enter Final
A costly blunder by Tata Football Academy’s (TFA) Hardeep Singh at a crucial phase of the game allowed crowd favourite Nepal Three Star to gate crash into the finals of the 30th All India Governor’s Gold Cup.
23-Oct-2008 7:22:09 PM
With the game
evenly poised after the match ended in a 1-1 draw at the end of regulation time;
the TFA defender uncorked himself to clear a loose ball in the second minute of
the extra time. The eyes of a 20,000 strong crowd moved into the Three Star box
expecting the clearance to land there.
However, Hardeep Singh completely missed his shot and lost his balance in the process. A lurking Three Star striker Santosh Shaukhalah homed into the free gift, arched back, let the ball bounce to a kicking height and unleashed a thunderbolt from the box. TFA goalkeeper Jagroop Singh did not even attempt to save the shot.
After taking the lead for the second time, the Nepal side played out the extra-time game to enter the finals of the coveted trophy.
Earlier in the normal period, it was Shaukhalah had given Three Star the lead in the 42nd minute. The Nepal side captain Surendra Tamang ran past three TFA defenders and from a tight angle crossed the ball to his team-mate to head home into an empty net.
The Nepal side should have killed the game in the first half itself missing four chances in the first 20 minutes. The most glaring miss was from the team captain Tamang who failed to beat the TFA goalkeeper in a one to one position.
The fortunes changed sides after the break with the TFA players coming back strongly in search of an equalizer in a 5-3-2 formation. Their consistent efforts paid off in the 50th minute when its striker Jagtar Singh glanced his header from a cross into the far side of the goal.
Despite good moves from both sides, the game remained tied in a 1-1 draw and was extended to extra-time where Three Star ultimately prevailed.
With this victory, the Nepal side has set up a title clash against Army XI. Finals will be held on Saturday.
Bijoy Gurung
However, Hardeep Singh completely missed his shot and lost his balance in the process. A lurking Three Star striker Santosh Shaukhalah homed into the free gift, arched back, let the ball bounce to a kicking height and unleashed a thunderbolt from the box. TFA goalkeeper Jagroop Singh did not even attempt to save the shot.
After taking the lead for the second time, the Nepal side played out the extra-time game to enter the finals of the coveted trophy.
Earlier in the normal period, it was Shaukhalah had given Three Star the lead in the 42nd minute. The Nepal side captain Surendra Tamang ran past three TFA defenders and from a tight angle crossed the ball to his team-mate to head home into an empty net.
The Nepal side should have killed the game in the first half itself missing four chances in the first 20 minutes. The most glaring miss was from the team captain Tamang who failed to beat the TFA goalkeeper in a one to one position.
The fortunes changed sides after the break with the TFA players coming back strongly in search of an equalizer in a 5-3-2 formation. Their consistent efforts paid off in the 50th minute when its striker Jagtar Singh glanced his header from a cross into the far side of the goal.
Despite good moves from both sides, the game remained tied in a 1-1 draw and was extended to extra-time where Three Star ultimately prevailed.
With this victory, the Nepal side has set up a title clash against Army XI. Finals will be held on Saturday.
Bijoy Gurung
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