NEW DELHI: Border Security Force ‘added another feather to North’s ascendancy in football in the country The second best team in India by virtue of finishing runners up in the last Federation Cup, BSF Gaye another command performance as they lifted the Durand Cup and tended the 1988 season on a triumphant note.
If in the centenary year of the Durand Cup J.CT. Mills had achieved the distinction of defeating Calcutta’s all three top teams, BS.F. Did only a shade less. They first held Mohun Bagan to a scoreless struggle and the process forced the famed Bengal team to finish behind them in the league and then prevailed upon East Bengal in the battle royal.
It was in the fitness of things and true to the ratings of the two teams that both BS.F and East Bengal enhanced their reputation giving full value of the time, and money spent by thousands of fans.
To the rivals went the distinction of parading the tournament’s two best players. Chima Okerie would have been the most. Outstanding performer had not Darbara Singh piped him to the post on the day of the final with two goals that made all the difference in deciding the fate of the cup.
Darbara was the top scorer of the tournament as well, besides being the hero of the concluding day. But what a pity the talent scouts of the country do not consider him good enough to be among the probable as well, Sisier Ghosh of Mohun Bagan jit Singh of J.C.T. Mills are the main strikers in the opinion of the national selectors. But let it be known that Darbara played no mean part in helping Punjab win the Santosh Trophy in Quilon earlier in the season, and it is simply baffling that even Mohun Bagan do not play sisir Ghosh full 90 minutes in any match. However. one should have full praise for Sisir and Kuljit for their brilliant headwork.
In the Durand Cup also Sisir and Kuljt had to concede the glory to Chima and. Darbara. If one is to draw a comparison, Chima Okene stands out in individual qualities. For East Bengal he was just the ‘one man destroying squad. He netted the winner against Indian Telephone Industries, his fierce rising shot left Surjit Singh helpless under the Punjab Police bar and he got past Talwan and Gurdial before dispatching the ball into the far comer to defeat defending champions J.CT. Mills in the league. But this was the match which left the fans cold, disturbed and disgruntled ‘as the Phapwara team and East Bengal preferred not to consume their energies. The outcome was that East Bengal clashed with Mohun Bagan in the first semifinal while BSF opposed J.C.T. Mills in the other.
On another count by which the tournament suffered was the standard of supervision, there is certainly a marked decline in this department. Some of the matches were marred by poor supervision especially in the initial stages. In fact, a lot is needed to be done to improve the quality of supervision.
Chima Okerie once again exhibited his fine striking prowess as he netted once in each half to quell the challenge of Mohun Bagan and also spoil the popular club’s centenary celebrations. East Bengal also avenged the defeat they had suffered at the hands of their traditional rivals in the Rovcrs Cup final at Bombay.
However the burly Nigerian met his match in diminutive and destructive Harbinder Singh who was a thorn in the flesh of Chima. He himself was not able to strike but his passes enabled Pradcep Talukdar to score the two goals against B.S.F. Jagmohan Singh, watched by his celebrated father Jarnail Singh, also played a significant role in bluing the sharpness of the Nigerian.
In contrast, Darbara flourished, in the semifinals he struck the two blows which knocked J.C.T. Mills out and produced two more goals which settled the destiny of the Durand Cup. But more than his personal feats the combined efforts of the team was chiefly responsible for B.S.F. regaining the title after a break of seven years.
Well marshaled by Narendra Gurung, whose deft ball control, jugglery and lawless distribution made him a class apart, BSF clicked effectively from the opening outing itself when they destroyed Delhi’s Shastri Club by seven goals to nil and routed B.E.. By four goals to be on the tall scoring spree and reflected the same till the Just outing when they won 3-2.
Incidentally when B.S.F, achieved their ‘maiden Durand Cup success in 1968, their ‘opponents were no else than East Bengal ‘and their current coach Anjun Singh once of the heroes. Arjun was rewarded with a purse of Rs 5,000 for being the best coach.
To score over PK. Banerjee in the East Bengal ranks was significant. BS.Falso got Rs 1.5 lakh instituted by Indian Petrochemicals Limited to the winners.
The withdrawal of Mohammedan Sporting had made the qualifying path smooth for BS.F. and Mohun Bagan. But the other Teague group was hotly contested. Imagine East Bengal being floored by L.A. F. in their first match itself: But Chima Okerie broughtabout a transformation by shouldering the entire burden of scormg. The Indian Telephone Industries from Bangalore suffered three setbacks but they were recipients of warm applause from every comer and in every match, they bowed amidst glory. Even in the inconsequential last match they made J.C.T, Mills fight all the way and only Kuljt’s header late in the game swung the battle in favor of the Phagwara team.
Like I:T.I Indian Air Force was another team to give a good account of themselves, Handled by their former defender G. Singh Air Force made it to the league and were no easy meat. In Suramani Singh they had a “promising” player who was adjudged for the award of Rs 5,000 as also Santosh Kashyap of Mahindra and Mahindra, Llyas Pasha of LLT.1, Bashir Beig of Young Cosmos, Jeet Singh of J.C.T. Mills besides Darbara Singh.
Punjab police too made their presence felt and remained in the reckoning for a place in the semifinals till the last league match. The withdrawal of the Punjab State Electricity Board and the Mohammedans certainly affected the strength of teams at the league stage.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 24, 1989
