KOCHI: MES College, Mampad, and Farook College, Kozhikode, on Sunday made it to the quarterfinals of the TNIE GOAL 2018 all-Kerala inter-collegiate football tournament at the Maharaja’s College Stadium here.MES, the reigning Calicut University champions, braved a late scare to down Christ College, Irinjalakuda, 2-1 while Farook prevailed over Payyannur College by a 3-1 aggregate in a closely fought encounter.
It was a robust squad featuring talents like Calicut varsity team skipper Mohammed Enas Rahman and Kerala Santosh Trophy forward Afdal V K which took the field for MES. The Christ squad too had the likes of state squad regulars — Jithin G in midfield and Muhammed Parakkottil on the bench.
Christ came out firing and the team nearly went ahead in the 22nd second of the game when Antony Paulose cut back to Safarudheen only to have the latter failing to fire it in from point-blank range. MES had another close shave in the seventh minute when Antony’s effort hit the ‘upright’.
Christ was forced to make a change in the 21st minute as an injured Jinu T R was taken off for Raveesh. MES were on the defensive for most of the half but took the lead against the run of play in the 34th minute. Right back Akhil T was given too much room inside the box by the Christ defence and the defender made the most of it to make it 1-0.
Down by a goal, Christ brought on Parakkottil in the 39th minute for some inspiration and Antony came close to levelling the score in the first half stoppage time, but MES managed to cling to their slender lead going into the lime break.
MES custodian Sarath P, who was struggling after picking up a knock trying to deny Christ an early opener in the very first minute, was replaced by Mohammed Safwan under the bar during the halftime. The Malappuram team, though, managed to double the lead in the 79th minute.
Afdal was brought down in front of the box by the Christ defence and Rahman planted the resulting free kick past the goalkeeper to score his third goal of the tournament — all of them coming from free kicks. But the game was headed for a nervy finish after Christ pulled one back in the dying moments. It was Antony who finally found the back of the net through a consolation goal in the 86th minute to make it 2-1.
MES survived the final minutes but was down to 10 men as their captain Rahman was shown a second yellow in the 89th minute. He will now miss the quarterfinal.
In the day’s other fixture, former India U-14 international Hanan Javed and Bengaluru FC academy graduate Sourav T P were on the bench for Farook while Payyannur were powered by half a dozen players who represented the Kannur University squad which finished runners-up in the All-India Inter-University Championship.
Though it was Payyannur which came tantalisingly close to opening the account in the fifth minute through Sudhin, whose shot hit the woodwork, it was Farook which took the lead in the very next minute as Devaraj converted a quick counter.
Payyannur made another foray into the rival goalmouth in the ninth minute — this time Arjuna K A’s header was kept out by goaltender Nihal S Hussain. But Sudhin equalised for Payyannur in the 17th minute firing into an open goal after rounding the keeper.
The stalemate did not last long as Anurag scored from the edge of the area. Payyannur kept on probing for an equaliser and they almost found it after the referee awarded a penalty in the 84th minute. But Nihal’s diving save blocked Arjun’s spot kick. The losing team’s misery was complete when former Bengaluru FC U-19 player Sourav scored with his first touch after coming on as a substitute to make it 3-1 in the 86th minute.
Results
(Pre-quarterfinals)
MES College, Mampad 2-1 Christ College, Irinjalakuda
Goals: Akhil T (34’), Mohammed Enas Rahman (79’) - Antony Paulose (86’)
Payyannur College 1-3 Farook College, Kozhikode
Goals: Sudhin P V (17’) - Devaraj N D (6’),
Anurag (25’), Sourav T P (86’)