GUWAHATI, March 10 � ASEB Sports Club rallied to hold fancied Oil India Limited (OIL) Football Club 1-1 in the 4th Airtel Assam State Premier League Football Tournament here at the Nehru Stadium today.
Leading goal-getter of the championship Manas Manjit Chetia took OIL ahead in the 39th minute while Chayaram Basumatary fired the equaliser in the 77th minute.
It was basically a lacklustre encounter considering their reputations. The ball mainly was confined to the midfield as attackers of both the teams hardly could make way to the striking zone of the opponent teams. However, the Duliajan boys enjoyed marginal supremacy with some positive moves.
ASEB boys were virtually at sea most of the time with ill-directed passes and poor planing at the OIL danger zone. But in the later stage, Y Inao Singh, Chayaram and Mendila Rongmei combined well at the upfront and put ample pressure on the OIL defence. Manas hit the ASEB goal with a smart drive from top of the box. ASEB custodian Baoga Brahma fumbled in gathering the ball and opportunist Manas unleased a shot. The ball hit the net after kissing the upright.
Early in the second session, OIL could have increased the margin, but their strikers failed to avail the scoring opportunities. Manaswar anticipated a pass from Priyo Kumar Singh and capitalising on poor anticipation of OIL goalkeeper, Jitu Chetry shot home from 18-yard line.
Tomorrow there will be no match as FCI Sports Club has withdrawn their name from this championship.
