KOCHI: Pailan Arrows striker CS Sabeeth slammed a hattrick to sent his former team Chirag United Kerala crashing out of the country’s elite group of football clubs here on Wednesday.
The hosts seemed to have neither the will nor the enterprise for such a crucial tie, losing 0-3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium.
So much so they handed the first win in 24 matches this season to Arrows, the All India Football Federation’s development side who are placed 13th in the standings with 13 points but guaranteed a spot in the national league.
The loss meant that Chirag, who needed to gather seven points from three matches to move ahead of Mumbai FC on the relegation count, stay at 17 points. Mumbai, slated to play Chirag in their final match here on May 6, are now assured of participation in the I-League next season while Chirag becomes the second team to be relegated this season, alongside the bottomplaced HAL, Bangalore.
Man of the Match Sabeeth tapped in the rebound on 33 minutes to give the visitors the lead, after Chirag goalkeeper K Sharath spilled a shot from Malswamfela. In the first half-injury time, he rounded Sharath after being put through on goal by Bikramjith Singh as the teams took break with Arrows leading 2-0.
In the dying seconds of the match, the sprightly forward converted a penalty after Chirag defender Sherin Sam earned himself the marching orders for bringing down George Alwyn.