Tuesday, June 1, 2021
കേരള ഫുട്ബോള് ഇനി എം കമ്പനി
ഹര്മന്ജോത് ഖബ്ര ഇനി ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്സില്

മുംബൈ : ഇന്ത്യന് സൂപ്പര് ലീഗ് വീണ്ടും അടുത്ത സീസണിന് ഒരുങ്ങുകയാണ്. ഇത്തവണ കളിക്കാര് മാറുകയാണ്. അങ്ങനെയൊരു മാറ്റമാണ് ഖബ്രയ്ക്കും. കഴിഞ്ഞ സീസണുകളില് ബെംഗളൂരു എഫ്സിയില് കളിച്ച ഹര്മന്ജോത് ഖബ്ര ഇത്തവണ ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിലാണ് കളിക്കുന്നത്. താരത്തിന്റെ കരാര് എത്ര വര്ഷത്തേക്കാണ് എന്ന് അറിവില്ല.എങ്കിലും കരാര് ഒരു വര്ഷത്തിലധികമാണ് എന്ന് റിപോര്ട്ട്. ഔദ്യോഗിക പ്രഖ്യാപനം അടുത്ത ദിവസങ്ങളില് ഉണ്ടായേക്കും.
33കാരനായ ഖബ്ര മധ്യനിര താരമാണ്. എന്നാല്, ഇദ്ദേഹം പ്രതിരോധനിരയിലും കളിക്കും. കഴിഞ്ഞ സീസണു ശേഷം തന്നെ ഖബ്ര ബാംഗ്ലൂരു ക്ലബ് വിടാന് തീരുമാനിച്ചിരുന്നു. പല ക്ലബുകളില് നിന്നും ഓഫറുകള് ലഭിച്ചിരുന്നു എങ്കിലും മികച്ച ഓഫര് മുന്നോട്ടുവച്ച ബ്ലാസ്റ്റേഴ്സിനു വേണ്ടി കളിക്കാന് അദ്ദേഹം തീരുമാനിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു എന്നാണ് റിപ്പോര്ട്ട്.
Wednesday, March 3, 2021
ഓസ്ട്രേലിയക്ക് 64 റണ്സ് ജയം
Sunday, January 17, 2021
M60 Report: Resilient Hyderabad holds fort against Mumbai in goalless draw
Resilient Hyderabad holds fort against Mumbai in goalless draw
Coach Manuel Marquez seemed to have prepared well for the Mumbai test. The Nizams pinned their opponents with their high pressing approach, thus nullifying Mumbai’s danger. Lobera’s men were doing everything right, except for the final delivery.
The Islanders couldn’t give the ideal birthday present to their coach Sergio Lobera, who turned 44 on Saturday but the result saw them stretch their unbeaten run to 10 games.
M59 Report: Neville saves the day for SC East Bengal with late equaliser against Kerala
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Neville saves the day for SC East Bengal with late equaliser against Kerala
Goa, January 15: Scott Neville’s stunning header in the dying minutes of the match, helped SC East Bengal salvage a point against Kerala Blasters in the Hero Indian Super League at the Tilak Maidan, on Friday.
Jordan Murray put Kerala ahead in the 64th minute before Neville’s stoppage-time equaliser (90+5) ensured that SCEB extended their unbeaten run to six games. The result mirrored that of the reverse fixture between the two, when Kerala had punished SCEB with an injury-time equaliser.
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SCEB named an unchanged eleven while Kerala made only one change as Nishu Kumar returned to the starting line-up.
The first half was an end-to-end contest, with both sides creating plenty of chances but strikers on either side lacked the finishing.
Both keepers were tested early on. And it was Kerala who created the first big chance of the game. Receiving a diagonal ball, Murray fired a shot that was parried away by Debjit Majumder.
At the other end, Albino Gomes had to pull off another fine save to stop SCEB from taking lead, denying Harmanpreet Singh from close range.
SCEB started the second half in control and fashioned a chance soon after the change of ends. During the 47th minute, Bright Enobakhare drilled a low cross towards the goal from the left. Jessel Carneiro, however, made a crucial goal-line clearance after initially failing to deal with the ball.
But it was Kerala who broke the deadlock moments later after a lapse in concentration from the SCEB defense.
Murray latched on to a long ball from Gomes, beating his marker before slotting past Majumder.
SCEB threw caution to the wind after the goal, making attacking substitutions as they sought their way back into the game.
In the dying minutes, they created a golden chance from a set-piece that could’ve drawn them level. Ajay Chettri delivered a wonderful cross from a free-kick which substitute Aaron Holloway failed to convert.
But SCEB’s persistence finally paid off in injury time as they leveled from a corner. Enobakhare’s cross found an unmarked Neville, who buried his header into the net and ensured SCEB went home with a point.
Thursday, January 14, 2021
M58 Report: Goa brush aside Jamshedpur with clinical outing
Goa brush aside Jamshedpur with clinical outing
Goa, January 14: A brace from Jorge Ortiz and Naveen Kumar’s brilliance in goal helped FC Goa script a 3-0 win over Jamshedpur FC in the Hero Indian Super League at the Fatorda Stadium, on Thursday.
Ortiz scored a goal each in either half (19’, 52’) while Ivan Gonzalez added a late third (89’) after Alexandre Lima received marching orders following a second booking.
Naveen got his first start for the Gaurs under Juan Ferrando while Lenny Rodrigues returned to the side. Top scorer Igor Angulo was a surprise exclusion as Alberto Noguera came in, allowing Ortiz to play in the number 9 role.
Owen Coyle made just two changes with Narender Gahlot and Issac Vanmalsawma starting ahead of Joyner Lourenco and Jackichand Singh.
It was end-to-end play in the opening minutes which saw both sides fashion goal-scoring opportunities. Jamshedpur had an early opportunity to take the lead when they were awarded a free-kick outside the box. Aitor Monroy's outswinging freekick into the box was there to be put in by Peter Hartley, but the skipper couldn't get the right connection.
At the other end, Goa pressured the opponents and nearly broke the deadlock when Brandon Fernandes played Ortiz through on goal, but the latter’s shot was kept out by TP Rehenesh.
However, the custodian couldn’t stop Ortiz in the 19th minute. Noguera’s brilliance on the right saw him get past his marker with quick feet and composure. The Spaniard then squared to Ortiz, who fired into the bottom corner.
JFC had their best chance to level terms in the 25th minute. Alexandre Lima got past James Donachie on the left and on reaching the byline, played a cutback pass for Valskis. But the Lithuanian’s strike was saved by Naveen.
Soon after the restart, Ortiz scored his second. Noguera played Brandon through and the Goan squared it towards Ortiz. He took a first-time shot, which hit the post but he did not miss on the rebound.
Ortiz had the chance to complete his hat-trick a while later but this time, Rehenesh pulled off a fine save.
While the Goa attackers were doing their job, they were well backed up by their keeper Naveen, who was at his best to frustrate JFC strikers. Naveen denied his former teammate Jackichand Singh with a brilliant save to ensure a clean sheet.
Things got worse for JFC when Lima was sent off for his second yellow after a tackle on substitute Devendra Murgaonkar.
Then, Goa scored their third through Ivan Gonzalez. The defender played a one-two with Angulo at the edge of the box and dinked the ball past Rehenesh, into the net.
Sunday, December 20, 2020
Bulgarian football coach "glad" he ended up in Kerala
Dimitar Pantev landed at Kerala's Calicut International Airport on March 4 to assess the prospects of establishing a world-class academy in the football-crazy state. But before the Bulgarian could settle down to the task at hand, the novel coronavirus crisis blew up and India announced a lockdown in defence.
Caught in a foreign land thousands of miles away from home - and contemplating the possibility of having to make his peace with an alien way of life - Pantev grit his teeth and prepared for what he thought was a bitter battle ahead.
But two months after his arrival, he is as happy as any Malayali and a poster boy for the 'Kerala model' of COVID-19 resistance!
A viral Facebook post
Pantev was so heartened by the treatment he received from the officials that he decided to go public. He shared his quarantine experience from Palakkad's urban neighbourhood Pattambi on Facebook, praising the officials and the Kerala government for its "super efficiency in managing the disaster with available resources".
It was well-received by Keralites before media platforms started picking it up.
"I was and am still dumbstruck to hear about the destruction coronavirus has wreaked in Europe and I feel truly blessed that Kerala is the place that I was at in the times of the virus," he wrote from his apartment in Pattambi.
Pantev, who earlier coached Palestine-based Al Jamaya club, was roped in by the Dubai-based H16 Sports Services to analyse the possibility of starting a first-of-its-kind football training and skills development academy in Kerala. He was accompanied by Riyas Kasim, a Pattambi native and the Manager of H16 SS' owner Hassan Ali Ibrahim Al Blooshi.
At a time when a developed Europe was struggling to contain the virus, Kerala's effective handling of the crisis proved inspiring, Pantev said.
"Ever since the quarantine period was in force in Pattambi Municipality, Muthuthala Health Inspector Priyadas and other officials of the Health Department kept checking on me, giving safety instructions and calling me up every day to know my health status. Sub-Inspector Mohana Krishnan was very particular in following his government's instructions and keeping a hawk's eye on the well-being of the foreigner that was me," he said.
Staying safe from the virus and spending time alone during a lockdown are two different things, Pantev agrees. As a professional sportsman, he knows staying isolated can take a toll on one's mental health.
"This emergency changed everyone's plans. It's not easy to spend your days in isolation, but I try to stay positive and calm. Twice a day I train at home with elastic bands and run 40 minutes every day around the complex where I live. Exercise helps me maintain my physique and also my mental stability," Pantev told The New Indian Express.
Asked if he is concerned about his family, Pantev said they are doing well despite Bulgaria having reported over 1500 cases till date. "I talk with them every day. They are calm because they know that I am safe in Kerala as well," he said.
Pantev's agent Riyas said ASHA workers used to visit them regularly. Health teams from both Pattambi and Thrithala keep checking on his welfare and the Special Branch police team has also ensured all help.
What's next
When asked about future plans, Riyas said the original idea was to inaugurate the academy programme on March 16 in the presence of some top company officials and veteran Indian footballers. But with the coronavirus crisis cancelling all those plans, Pantev is ready to wait.
"H16 has tie-ups in Romania, Russia and Croatia. Our plan includes arranging exposure tours to all these places. The academy is going to be first of its kind here with European-imported equipment and top-tier coaching. Our children deserve it, and as far as I know, Dimitar is very much impressed by Kerala," he said.
Pantev had also voiced his wish to meet Health Minister KK Shailaja and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to express his gratitude. Despite the Facebook post being well received, the Minister's office has not responded yet, Riyas said. However, Pattambi MLA Muhammed Muhsin visited the Bulgarian at his flat.








