Veterans fire blank
The former star footballers from either side of the border failed to warm a chilly winter day when they met in a friendly football match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Sonali Otit Club of Dhaka and Veterans Sports Club of Kolkata shared a goalless draw on a dull and dank afternoon after the start of the match was delayed due to unexpected rain.
With the galleries all but empty, the aged players who dominated football pitches of Bangladesh and India in their youth hardly got any inspiration to show glimpses of their class.
Chances were created with the local boys having an edge but former Indian goalkeeper Shanti Majumder, a long serving Mohun Bagan booter, was the only one who was outstanding in the hour-long game.
The veteran made a series of saves as Sonali Otit failed to break the deadlock even after making frequent changes in their lineup.
The visitors, on the other hand, looked better on the fitness and did not need to make many changes.
After Goutam Ghosh missed a sitter early, Krishnendu Roy came close to score in the second half after a brilliant solo that lacked finishing.
Nurul Haque Manik, one of the local midfielders apart from Satyajit Das Rupu who showed better stamina, was twice denied by Shanti's timely interception.
Although Maj (ret) Hafizuddin -- captain of Sonali Otit who first played a football match after retiring in 1978 -- and his striking partner Salam Murshedi -- who still holds the record of scoring highest 27 goals in the Dhaka League -- made little impact, Badal Das almost scored with his first touch but for Shanti's brilliant save in the dying minutes.
For the home side, other noted players to kick the ball were goalkeeper Motaleb, Kaiser Hamid, Hasanuzzaman Babloo, Khorshed Babul and Shabbir.
The touring side featured ex-Indian internationals Samir Chowdhury, Kabir Bose, Aloke Das, Krishna Gopal Chowdhury, Monojit Das and skipper Bishwajit Bhattachariya.
The Kolkata veterans, who will play two more matches in the tour, move to Chittagong next to take on local Sonali Otit on January 26.
Comments