It was time. The ground was set, the players ready and the cheerleading squad geared up for the final. With both first years and second years turning up in great numbers, the excitement was tangible.
After a series of three matches, with varying shades of success and different players rising to the occasion, the final chapter had begun with the teams huddling and giving themselves the boost to fight and to win.
At the onset, the first years speedily sent the ball to the other side. John Sabu Mathew and Athul Muraleedharan crossed swords; Sherwin Rodriguez took control of the ball, but was overpowered by Hootowl Tenzing Londe. Allen Christo Santi tackled, passed to Athul, who took a well-planned shot. The ball deflected off Sarath SM and OWN GOAL for the second years! Shouts rose; ecstatic ones from one side and shocked, exasperated ones from the other. Team members gathered and new ploys were contrived. The second years went on the offensive again but first year goalkeeper Suryanarayana Panicker shielded against all attempts.
Some excellent footwork ensued, with the John-Sherwin partnership taking centre stage; Indu defended against Athul ambitiously. Multiple shots were taken at the goal, but second year goalkeeper Susmit Panzade blocked all attempts. Hootowl dove at the ball while Suraj Unnikrishnan Menon was ‘playing around’ with it, but in vain. A free kick was given, John took the shot but the ball landed straight into Susmit’s hands. Both teams had equal control over the ball. In the heat of the moment, Suraj was tripped over by Savio Daimary. Referee Adithya Haneef showed the yellow card and Sherwin cast the ball in with a calm, calculated penalty kick. With chants all over, the freshie audience put on quite a show. The match had already intensified. Mysore boys, Baladitya B. and Simha Y. N. battled for custody of the ball.
The players displayed great mastery over technique. Sree Sankar hurtled across the field with the ball, and forwarded to Sherwin who shot it in elegantly, simply. At one point, it became almost impossible to distinguish who was who with the players in their blue hues foxtrotting with the ball. It finally came to John, a player in red, who glided through a maze of opponents and took the freshie goal count to three.
The second years regained momentum. Athul came charging across the field ably assisted by Savio and Hootowl , crafted his way close to the post, and kicked. In the ball went. The score tally arrived at 3-2, in the end, the first years on the lead.
The last few minutes of this energetic and exciting game were showdown. Amazing players, amazing play…the ground echoed with loud cheers. The first years won by a goal and the second years were runners-up.
Football is a Messi game; messier than you think. And yet, in its subtlety and method lies its magnificence.
Report by Jayat Joshi and Varsha Gopal
Photographs by Parthiv Kidangoor
Article 19 