ATHUL’S FIRST HALF HEADER EARNS SECOND YEARS A WINNING START
Second years beat third years 1-0 on Tuesday’s opening game of the Department Football Tournament 2017. The win earned the second years three points, which brings them to the top of their group. Yadu Krishnan set up Athul Muraleedharan from a corner kick to open the scoring with a free header. The first half went by without any clear cut chances being created by the third years and they were lucky not to concede further. The second years got a golden opportunity with a penalty for hand-ball within the penalty area. Simha YN took the penalty and shot the ball straight at Melwin James. Fast reflexes from Melwin meant the score stayed 1-0. The second half saw the second years put on a defensive show, allowing more space in the midfield for the third years and in the dying minutes of the game they came very close to scoring; a header by Sree Hari AP on a well delivered cross by Karnalius Basumatary, hitting the woodwork.
Athul was highly impressive throughout the match running most of the offensive for the second years. The Yadu-Athul combination with corner kicks was a constant threat for the third years. Athul used his height to good effect to get his head on well delivered corners. While the first half saw lots of gritty defending from the third years and some attacking plays from second years, the introduction of Ananthajith KR just before the end of first half brought the much needed stability to the third years back-line. It was aided by the fact that the second years turned defensive with only Simha and Athul going into the other half. Rani Unnamalai made few good runs down the left wing but was well defended by the second year defence led by Savio Daimary. Third years went all in with their attacking options substituting in Aswin Prabhakar. Third years shifted to a 3-3 formation with Karnalius joining Hari and Aswin in the front; one of the attacks hitting the post.
Report by Aswin Prabhakar
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