Air India, JCT in dull draw

S Ayyappa Swamy in Bombay

It was a good toss to win for Jagatjit Cotton Textile Mills skipper Ram Pal. It gave him the advantage of choosing the side and he opted to play downwind in the second half. National and JCT coach Sukhwinder Singh pushed Hardeep Sangha up to put some pressure on the Air-India defence and even the airmen got some chances on the counters but no goals came about in this return match of the 5th National Football League. The match ended in a goal-less draw.

After a rousing 4-3 mach just a week ago in Ludhiana in which Air-India fought back from a 1-3 half-time deficit to win, much was expected from this tie. Moreso, because Air-India had thrashed cellar teams State Bank of Travancore 6-1 in their previous tie. Yet apart from a few chances there was hardly anything in today's match at Cooperage. In fact, it looked more like practicing friendly tie between two national sides.

After 12 matches apiece, JCT are on six points while Air-India are on 13.

Air-India, who missed former international Godfred Periera (out with two yellow cards), coach Bimal Ghosh continues to post international Khalid Jamil in the right wing-back position and it is creating a gaping hole in the middle. Tomba Singh was used in the midfield role along with Bungo Singh, who got four goals in the previous match, and it did not bring in much dividends as the wiry player tended to hold on to the ball for long time.

Yet it was the airmen who created the opportunities in the first half. After Hardeep Gill's shot was well-collected by Air-India goalkeeper Yusuf Ansari, the local outfit launched a quick counter which culminated in Tomba's powerful shot being gathered by Baljit Singh. Anthony Fernandes and P J Jose had created the spadework for Tomba.

Then, both Fernandes and Tomba hesitated and delayed while in the penalty area and let slip a wonderful opportunity.

JCT held the reigns in the second half and young Harjinder Singh in the middle did a wonderful job in harnessing his wingers and strikers Sangha and Gills and Sandeep Sharma who had come in as a substitute.

The Air-India defence held firm with Arun Malhotra, though a little patch, again putting up a confident show in front of the national coach. Jamil was not his sure self, but Khambiton Singh, Dennis George, who played as a stopper in the second half and shadowed Sangha right through, and Raju Singh were their outstanding.

In the second half too, the Air-India players had clear looks on their rival goal with P J Jose shot coming off the bar and then Fernandes being unable to capitalise on the rebound. Then, a Fernandes header off a Bungo Singh free-kick went just wide of the goalpost.