Cuttack, May 24 (IANS) Services and Kerala will square off in the semi-final of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy at the Barabati Stadium here Friday.
With tournament favourites West Bengal out of the title race, both Services and Kerala now have a mission.
“We will play attacking football. That has been our style and we will stick to it,” commented V Sajith Kumar, the Services coach. “We will stick to the same combination which played in our last match,” he said.
The vastness of the country and commitment to one’s service often pits an individual planning the downfall of his own home state.
Sajith, himself a Keralite, laughs it off. In fact, it isn’t him alone. Services also boast of four footballers from Kerala in their first XI.
Kerala coach M.N. Jacob stays a bit cautious.
“We are confident but not over confident. In such a match, there’s no room for complacency,” Jacob maintained. “The flanks stay an important proposition in our plans,” he added.
“It’s hard to play consecutive matches but the positive is that it’s helped us to sort out the perfect combination. We’ve no complaints.”
The history book points to Services enjoying an edge against Kerala. But Services are not banking on history and Kerala stay desperate to turn the tables around.
