MALAPPURAM: TNIE GOAL 2017 on Wednesday witnessed one of those proverbial ‘game of two halves’, after MG College, Thiruvananthapuram, which looked to be running away with the match with a 1-0 lead in the first half, was outplayed by opponents Sree Vyasa NSS College, Wadakkanchery, in the second.
MG College were dominant in the early exchanges with Surbinson wreaking havoc down the right side at Malappuram District Sports Council Stadium here.
Time and again, the winger served tempting crosses into the box early on, which Sree Vyasa strikers failed to capitalise upon.
After seeing Febin Das miss a gilt-edged in the 22nd minute, MG finally took the lead, five minutes later, through Surbinson who chested down a ball deep from the left played by Harilal B M and finishing beyond Vyasa custodian Asaruddeen M A.
However, despite creating several opportunities until the end of the first half, the team from the capital failed to double their lead, which came back to bite them in the second half.
As for the trailing side, whatever was said in the dressing room at half-time seemed to do the trick as they came out of the blocks flying.
Within two minutes of resuming play, Shidin M P made the sweetest of connections with the ball from a corner to draw level for Sree Vyasa. But, they were not ready to settle for the draw. Another two minutes passed before substitute Karthik V R and Sree Vyasa were denied a 2-1 lead only by the right post.
Their search for the winning goal came to fruition in the 59th minute in a move that began on the left wing. Jinshad P V skipped over an MG College defender’s tackle and played an inch-perfect cross to Karthik who slotted it past the rival keeper. Seven minutes later, Jinshad twisted and turned past defenders and pulled the ball back to the centre for Deepak K S, whose shot, luckily for MG, was saved by the diving MG College goalkeeper Sreejith S.