Shaji’s brilliance help SBT floor HAL

KANNUR, July 26: Former Kerala state champions State Bank of India (SBT), Thiruvananthapuram, kept their reputation to crush HAL, Bangalo...

KANNUR, July 26: Former Kerala state champions State Bank of India (SBT), Thiruvananthapuram, kept their reputation to crush HAL, Bangalore, 5-2 in the South Zone Kalyani Black Label Federation Cup football qualifying round match here at the Municipal Jawahar Stadium this evening.

At half time SBT led 2-1.

International striker VP Shaji was the star performer for the Bankmen as he pumped in four goals and fellow striker Sunny chipped in the other goal. For the losers, Substitute Raju (44th) and Satish (46th) reduced the margin.

Shaji’s goal scoring spree started in the 11th minute when he found the mark first. After scoring his second in the 40th minute, Shaji fired in the third in the 77th and completed his tally in the 81st minute.

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Though the Bangalore team mounted pressure midway through the first session, threatening the bank citadel on several occasions, most of the shots from its strikers either went straight to the bank custodian Feroz Sherief or over the horizontal.

The Bankmen, who began onan attacking note, had a chance in the third minute itself, but striker earnest, who had only keeper Basheer in front, drove over the upright.

They kept up the pressure launching attacks whenever their rivals lost possession of the ball. With mid-fielders also joining the raids, the HAL defence was stretched.

The Bankmen scored first goal in the 11th minute, when Sunil Kumar floated his flag-kick and Shaji leapt high into the air to head in.