FOOTBALL
Host Kerala opened its campaign in the Santosh Trophy football qualifying tournament with a thumping 7-0 victory against Rajasthan at the Corporation Stadium on Monday.
Kerala, which had triumphed in the tournament’s final phase at Manjeri back in April, was far too good for its northern Indian rival on a sweltering afternoon. It led 5-0 at half-time.
Kerala went ahead in the sixth minute through Nijo Gilbert, who converted a superb cross from the left flank by M. Viknesh. Six minutes later, Viknesh himself scored, off a long through ball from Hrishi Dhath. The floodgates were now truly opened. Kerala continued to score almost at will.
Earlier, in the opening match, Jammu & Kashmir defeated Bihar 2-0, through goals from Aakif Javaid and Faisal Thakur.
The results: Kerala 7 (Nijo Gilbert 6, M. Viknesh 12, 20, B. Naresh 23 & 36, Riswan Ali 55 & 81) bt Rajasthan 0. Jammu & Kashmir 2 (Faisal Thakur 38, Aakif Javaid 58) bt Bihar 0.
-P. K. Ajith Kumar
Gokulam Kerala and coach Towa part ways
Gokulam Kerala and coach Richard Towa have parted ways, midway through the I-League season.
The Cameroonian has been relieved of his duties and a new coach, possibly from Europe, is expected to take charge soon, maybe even before Gokulam’s next match, against Churchill Brothers at Manjeri on January 8.
The defending champion has had a disappointing campaign thus far under Towa. It is lying fourth in the table with 15 points.
Though it is only four points shy of leader Sreenidi Deccan, Gokulam’s finishing has been a cause of concern. It has scored just seven goals from nine games (and conceded four).
That is in sharp contrast to the last season, in which it had scored 44 goals from 18 matches, under Vincenzo Alberto Annese. The Italian had refused the offer to continue at Gokulam and recently joined the ISL side NorthEast United as coach.
-P. K. Ajith Kumar
CHESS
Dakshita holds Soumya
Rajasthan’s Dakshita Kumawat provided the surprise of the opening round of the MPL National women’s chess championship after holding the 2010 champion and third seed Soumya Swaminathan in 31 moves at the Sanjay Ghodawat University, Hatkanagle, Kolhapur on Monday.
A total of 104 players have entered the premier 11-round competition.
Leading results:
First round: Kheerthi Ganta lost to Vantika Agrawal; Divya Deshmukh bt Aditi Kayal; Dakshita Kumawat drew with Soumya Swaminathan; Mary Ann Gomes bt Fatima Marium; Swara Lakshmi Nair lost to Bhakti Kulkarni; M.Mahalakshmi bt Rajanya Datta Sagar Siya lost to Rucha Pujari; Sakshi Chitlange bt Cera Dagariya; Kalyani Sirin lost to Isha Sharma; Arpita Mukherjee bt Saniya Tadavi.
Rakesh Rao
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