MES Mampad, Payyannur College score contrasting wins

KOCHI: MES College, Mampad, Malappuram and Payyannur College, Payyannur, Kannur  scored contrasting victories  to move into the last 16 of the TNIE GOAL 2018 all-Kerala inter-collegiate football tournament at the Maharaja’s College Stadium here on Wednesday. MES, who are the reigning Calicut University champions, pumped in six goals against a hapless Sree Sankara College, Kalady  to register a 6-0 victory  while Payyannur College edged out St Xavier’s College, Thumba on penalties to win 5-4 after the teams were locked  1-1 at the end of regulation time.

 In the first match of the day, it was Kerala Santosh Trophy star Afdal V K, who played some dazzling football to score a hat-trick - the first of the seventh edition of TNIE GOAL - to put MES in a dominant position. His team mate, the  lanky midfielder, Mohammed Enas Rahman added another two to pile on Sankara’s agony.  Akhil T was the other scorer for the winners  with a 77th minute strike. MES secured an early lead with Rahman planting a free kick into the back of the net to make it 1-0.  Barely three minutes later, MES almost increased their lead when another free kick taken by Mohammed Asif from some 30 yards out this time, rattled the crossbar.

MES had come out of the blocks flying and Sankara’s Anandhu P Shaji had to clear on the line to deny Rahman his second of the evening. In the 22nd minute, Muhammed Fayas had played a delightful cross to Akhil T, but the attacker was caught in two minds and muffed up the chance. It was Afdal who found his name on the score sheet next. The striker had scored twice in Kerala’s 7-0 rout of Andhra Pradesh in their Santosh Trophy opener at Bengaluru a week ago. 

His first goal on Wednesday came in the 24th minute as he latched on to a loose clearance at the edge of the area and curled his shot beyond the keeper to double his side’s advantage. His second came from a header in the 63rd minute after he was fed by left-back Mohammed Asif. Sandwiched between Afdal’s two goals was Rahman’s second - a virtual replica of his first goal- as he effortlessly converted a free kick, secured by him at the left side of the goal, in the 35th minute. In the 77th minute, Akhil rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the goal to make it 5-0. Afdal’s third came in the 85th minute and in fine fashion too. The striker received the ball at the edge of the penalty box area and produced a fine finish on the turn to bring the curtains down on Kalady college’s misery. 

Payyannur edges out St Xavier’s thumba 
The second match of the day between Payyannur College and St Xavier’s College, Thumba  was an evenly matched contest. Arjun K A tucked away the decisive penalty as Payyannur College recorded a thrilling shootout victory over St Xavier’s College, Thumba in the second match of the day. Payyannur converted all the penalties to win 5-4 after the teams were locked  1-1 at the end of regulation time.  Earlier, St Xavier’s went ahead as Jithin Joy scored the opening goal in the 20th minute.

Job Jerald had sprinted down the right and fired in a shot which was parried by goalkeeper Asif K P on to the path of Jithin who guided the ball into the goal.  The Thiruvananthapuram college were pressing throughout the half, but Payyanur came back to level with a minute remaining in the first half through Sudhin P V who had an open post to aim at after his first effort was saved by goaltender Bineesh.