Bank of India kick start their Super Division campaign with a 1-0 win over Bombay Gym

by Balbir Singh November 14, 2015

On 13^th November 2015, Friday, Mumbai District Football Association’s Super Division Group A match between Bank of India and Bombay Gym concluded in the favor of Bank of India, who scored the game’s only goal in first-half stoppage-time through Alvito Gomes.

The first-chance of the match fell to the Bank of India, when a through-ball was collected, but carried out of the box by Bombay Gym goalkeeper Vineet Gangwani. As a result, Bank of India was gifted with a free-kick opportunity just outside the 18-yard box, which number 7 Alvito Gomes failed to convert – hitting the ball over the goal.

Bombay Gym shaped in a 4-2-3-1, which helped them have a better control in the midfield area for large portions of the match. They enjoyed better build-up plays, but were least effective when they shifted from the midfield to the attacking-third. Despite enjoying possession in patches throughout the first 45 minutes, Bank of India looked more threatening on the counter-attacking as they intercepted or rather collected hopeless balls played out by the Bombay Gym and carried out attacks.

A particularly interesting contradiction in both the teams was the relationship between the strikers. Bank of India enjoyed a somewhat fluid front-line with Alvito Gomes and Claudes Fernandes constantly looking for runs in-behind the Bombay Gym defence. A large chunk of attacks of Bank of India in the first-half came from their right flank which was more open compared to the left as number 11 Rushad regularly tried to support the lone number 7 upfront, vacating the his flank for attack. But a solid performance from Rudrashish Sengupta number 14 and his defensive partner Pratik Patil number 4. The latter was also the best player in their defensive unit according to the Bombay Gym coach.

The goal-short game had its moments where teams created chances only to fail in converting them. The goal came in first-half stoppage time (46 minutes), when Alvito Gomes went clear on goal after a defensive mistake from Bombay Gym number 15 Yash Shah, recovering in time to chase Alvito, Yash could only be a spectator as the number 7 cut-inside only to wrong foot everyone and guide the ball past the keeper’s left.

At the start of the second-half, Bombay Gym made a substitution to bring-on number 22 Walter Liu in place of Yash Shah in defence. The substitution was correct as Bank of India didn’t create enough chances to score a goal, despite recording two attempts on goal. But the damage had already been done, and conceding a goal just before the end of half-time added pressure to Bombay Gym.

The Coach in the post match interview highlighted the issue with his striking pair of Farzad and Karthik, where the latter wasn’t much effective in the attacking third as he was while building plays. Coach expressed his problem of “lack of inexperienced strikers” is what that cost them the defeat in their opening Super Cup game.

The Bombay Gym were given a lifeline when Bank of India were reduced to 10-men with 7 minutes of normal time remaining. Number 19 Anurag Survey was given two yellows in no quick time, first for a foul and the other for protesting. But Bombay Gym couldn’t capitalize a somewhat undeserving 1-0 defeat.

A match in which they should’ve been rewarded with a penalty on 57 minutes according to Bombay Gym coach went on to end of a positive scale. “When you win a game you win, you celebrate, but when you lose you can assess the faults and weaknesses also the positives.”