Air-India strike a brace

Air-India strike a brace
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Mumbai, July 8: Air-India failed to emulate fellow contenders Mahindra United in their victory over Bombay Customs at the Cooperage on Saturday. While United had struck six times, Air-India managed two, despite coming close on a few other occasions in the Mumbai District Football Association-organsied Harwood League.

While R Dube and Tomba Singh ensured Air-India did not return empty-handed, the airmen have plenty of thinking ahead of sterner tests after this performance. Strikers managed to penetrate Customs' empty spaces but failed to score as many times as they could have.

Malay Sarkar, replacing HS Bist -- who was given nightmares by United -- under the Customs bar, emerged out with distinction. His confidence, though it did not rub onto the defence, made sure Customs were not embarassed in defeat.

Anthony Fernandes' forward pass to substitute Ratan Singh in the 61st found an unmarked Dube whose header beat Sarkar to put the airmen ahead.

Ratan, one of the shortest men on field, saw a rare header hit the bar after T Khambiton Singh had taken advantage of a rather lax rival defence eight minutes later.

Five minutes before time, Khambiton found Tomba Singh who had little trouble in scoring, minutes after Customs had threatened to draw level.

Lasser Anthony's well-measured cross from the right grazed Raza Rizvi's raised shin before Jinto Jose volleyed out. Minutes later, Rizvi well victim to the slush when well placed in front of an empty goal. Rizvi missed completely and Air-India breathed easy.