Asom favorite to win football gold

Guwahati, Feb 16 (UNI) With only two days left for the closing ceremony of the 33rd National Games, all eyes are drawn towards the football final with the fans here hoping that the state team will repeat its preliminary round performance against Tamil Nadu.

The hosts prevailed over Tamil Nadu by 2-0 in the preliminary round.

Tamil Nadu have reached the final with some very hard work after losing the match to the hosts as they beat Kerala by a solitary goal in their first match before confronting the home team. The team thus reached the semi-finals stage by winning one and drawing another match in the group as they played 0-0 against Maharashtra to ensure a place in the last four.

On the other hand Asom began their campaign on a positive note and continued till the semi-final stage with only one match to go for a Gold.

The hosts defeated Maharashtra by a convincing margin of 4-0 in the first match played on February 9 and continued the winning run.

Asom played their second match against Tamil Nadu and again won comfortably by a brace to ensure a semi-finals birth. The hosts were, however, taken to some difficulties by Kerala in the third match of the group.

The hosts managed to draw the match at the last few minutes despite lagging behind by 2-1 and went to the next stage as an undefeated team.

Asom which had earlier defeated Tamil Nadu will try one again to repeat its performance as the coach Shankar Moitra said after the 3-0 win against Bengal yesterday.

''We will play our main striker Mrinal Boro in the next match.'' Incidentally, Mrinal could not play the semi-final due to injury and he is likely to become fit tomorrow for the final.

Tamil Nadu, although shaky initially, turned out to be a fighting team as they succeeded in outplaying Meghalaya by a solitary goal in the last four stage to ensure another clash with the home team for the Gold.

UNI