GUWAHATI: Holders Punjab ended their campaign in the 45th National Football Championship without a victory, They were held to a 22 draw by Biharina group B quarterfinal league fixture at the Nehru Stadium.
The result put both teams out of contention, The race for a semifinal berth is now between Karanataka and Goa. While Karanataka take place on Goa, Assam face Bihar on Monday. The winner of the KamatakaGoa tie will be through.
Bihar are all set to decide the fate, this time not of Bengal but either Karnataka or Assam. Punjab have three points from three draws and a loss, Bihar have just one point from three games having lost two matches earlier. They have a match to go.
Bihar under pressure from the practitioners of power football Punjab, could not help conceding two goals before lemon time when Darbara Singh and Narinder Kumar shot home with effortless ease.
But Bihar emerging only second best to Punjab in adopting similar strategy swarmed all over the Punjab territory and struck two fine goals to restore party within 17 minutes after the restart.
Bihar’s right wing was alive with activity. Wing back Barua and Jagdish Kumar combined to send across controlled lobs that their colleagues met first time. The efforts were well directed’ too but twice Shafique’s shots on the full thundered straight into custodian Saha’s grasp.
Punjab suddenly were under tremendous pressure, Shafique once again had his try zooming towards the target but stopper Talwan singh put it over the line for a comer, Jagdish Kumar sent it invitingly into the box and Rameshwar Singh sparling up to nod low into the net.
In the 62nd minute, Bihar knit together a precision move which fetched them the equalizer. Mohammed Salim laid the ball between defender Harvinder Singh’s legs and advanced up to the goal line from.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 14, 1989
