Kochi Kallipzz Cruise Past Munnar Machanzz A coordinated effort from Kochi Kallipzz under the inspiring guidance of Arun Jose saw them sail smoothly past the Munnar Machanzz in their home match on Friday night in the SIMA Premier League (SPL). Though Munnar tried to get back in the game through spirited fight back led by Habib, the initial set back they received in the form of goals from Ullas and Albin could never be mitigated. The final scorecard read 2-1. For a league marred by injuries, the recent games have given a much needed facelift. Both teams reiterated the need for a safe play. The Munnar Machanzz outfit were high in spirit going into the crucial match, their sixth, on the back of their recent win and draw after a streak of loses. Mr. Deepu (Munnar Machanzz),in the pre-match interview, said that they were aware of the importance of the match and they were well prepared for the tough opponents they were about to face. Having completed more than half of their league games, a win in this away game was crucial for Munnar Machanzz. But Kochi Kalipzz had other plans. The match began with a gambit from Jose, trying for a straight shot into the post for a surprise goal. Munnar was up to it with Habib leading the fight into the Kochi’s post and earning an early free-kick for an unintentional handball from Jose. Munnar went for a hopeful direct kick into the post which found the target but lacked the second touch required to earn them an early goal. This set the game in motion, but it was Kochi which drew the first blood. The first goal was born in the third minute when Albin, continuing his good form, joined Jose and Ullas to construct a series of near perfect short passes from the midfield. The trio tore apart the Munnar defences with a sequence of stunning passes to take the ball right inside the post and Ullas did not falter as he dealt a precise shot into the post. One of the main features of the Kochi’s play was Jose’s captaincy and his knack to manufacture opportunities with clever deceptions and timely calls, and once the teammates were in sync, it was a delight to watch. It was one such foresight from Jose and a deft touch from Albin that brought the second goal for Kochi. Jose, taking a kick from their half after the ball went out of play, spotted an unmarked Albin lurking near the opposition post. He gave a calculated through pass to Albin along the line. Albin duly collected the ball, showed his skills in breaking the defence and charged into the post to score the second goal. It was advantage Kochi as they went into second half 2-0 up. All these while, the Kochi Kalipzz defence proved impenetrable, as all the spirited attacks and counter attacks from Munnar were kept out safely. Invariably, the first half belonged to Kochi Kalipzz. The second half saw a more alert and aggressive Munnar Machanzz. Four minutes into the second half, Habib thundered into the Kochi post scoring the first one for Munnar through an assist from Ajay. An energetic defence and an acrobatic goalkeeper helped Munnar alleviate any further damage and focus on getting the equalizer. However, the increased pressure on Kochi with Athul and Habib searching for the second goal saw the game getting a bit rough. Albin received a yellow card for a mistimed tackle on Habib. The aggression was evident as Habib was fouled for a second time and it gave us some tense moments with him rolling on the ground in pain. But, being a seasoned campaigner, he bounced back. The second half was very evenly contested and with any luck, Munnar would have had the equalizer as it let loose an all out attack in the final minutes. But the Kochi fortress proved too strong to be conquered. With two wins and one draw in four matches, Kochi Kalipzz (currently placed fourth) has announced itself as a strong contender to be the cup winner and it would be mistake to take this warning lightly. As for Munnar Machanzz, lurking in the bottom half (in fifth postion), they cannot afford any more loses. Their team seems to have the depth and with some fortune in their favour, they can still do the star turn. They can be a real headache for the front runners if they push a little harder as we saw in the second half. Needless to say, the upcoming matches are going to be fiercely contested and the spectators will be in for a visual treat. Regards... Sreekanth SH
Posted on: Sat, 25 Jan 2014 06:00:06 +0000
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