BANGLAORE: The quality of the football on display may have been poor, but the drama on the final day of the I-League season could have been scripted by O. Henry, the master of the surprise ending.
Going into the 18th and last round of games, Minerva Punjab led the way with 32 points, despite their form having fallen off a cliff in the second half of the season. NEROCA, based in the tiny eastern Indian state of Manipur, trailed them by a point. And one further back came the two most storied clubs in Indian football — Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.
To add to the sense of spectacle, Minerva were up against the Goa-based Churchill Brothers, who had won the second of their national titles as recently as 2012-13. Churchill, who started the season with five straight defeats, needed nothing less than three points to avoid relegation. Given what was at stake, the game resembled a relegation six-pointer, and Ghana’s William Opoku’s 15th-minute strike was enough for Minerva to become the first north Indian winners of the title since Jagatjit Cotton & Textile Football Club were the inaugural champions of the National Football League in 1996-97.
Minerva’s triumph also gave the I-League, now seen as the impoverished sibling of the cash-rich and heavily promoted Indian Super League (ISL), a third first-time winner in the past five seasons. Bengaluru FC, who won it in 2013-14 and 2015-16, comfortably topped the ISL log, having migrated to the “bigger” league in the off-season. And last season, FC Aizawl — from the eastern state of Mizoram that most Indians would struggle to locate on a map — did a Leicester City by beating Bagan and East Bengal to the title.
NEROCA, who took second place by holding East Bengal to a 1-1 draw on their turf, have as remarkable a story. The North Eastern Re-Organizing Cultural Association Football Club was established in 1965, but it was not until 2015-16 that they first played at the national level, in the I-League’s second division.
That was the year that Minerva, formed in 2005, also took their first steps on a bigger stage. And having escaped relegation only on the basis of a head-to-head record last season, Minerva now find themselves top of the tree, just ahead of a NEROCA side that were champions of the second-tier last season.
If anything, that is a damning indictment of Bagan, East Bengal and the toxic Kolkata football culture that held the Indian game back for so many decades. A frog-in-the-well mindset meant that both clubs cared about little more than dominating the Kolkata league. There was no thought to building a team, let alone a dynasty, with players swapping clubs almost every season.
Baichung Bhutia, India’s most feted footballer of the modern era, had multiple stints with both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan. IM Vijayan, his fellow striker in so many games for India, also yo-yoed between the two clubs after first making waves with Kerala Police. Imagine Steven Gerrard or Ryan Giggs flip-flopping between Liverpool and Manchester United, and you begin to get a sense of how absolutely farcical the system was.
Now, though miles remain to be traversed, there is a semblance of sanity. A Super Cup, to be played in March and April, will feature the top teams from both the ISL and the I-League, and be a successor to the Federation Cup, which was India’s answer to the FA Cup for 40 years.
Khogen Singh — NEROCA fans would have winced at the irony of a Manipuri coaching Minerva to the title — sounded quite bullish about his team’s prospects, though a tally of just 24 goals in 18 games suggests they will struggle against free-scoring ISL sides like Bengaluru and FC Goa. Much will depend on the slight Bhutanese No.10, who was the find of the I-League season. Chencho Gyeltshen scored seven and had seven assists, and his winner away to NEROCA was one of the key moments in the title race.
“I think the I-League is more competitive,” said Khogen, whose side lost four of their last eight games after taking 25 points from the first 30 available. “There is not much difference in the standard of games in these leagues. In the Super Cup, we will have to prove that I-League teams are at par even though they are built on low budgets.”
The Kolkata giants — Bagan finished third after drawing 1-1 in Kerala with Gokulam FC — could certainly learn a thing or two from how the new boys have gone about their business. With just one title between them in the last 14 seasons, the time for change is nigh.
I-League conjures up fairytale finish as Minerva Punjab win unlikely title
I-League conjures up fairytale finish as Minerva Punjab win unlikely title
Zemmer fires 7-birdie round to lead Hilton Classic in Morocco
- 5-under round leaves Zimmer 1 shot ahead of compatriot Matteo Cristoni as Italy dominates early leaderboard
TANGIER: Italy’s Aron Zemmer produced a composed and clinical display to card a five-under-par opening round and claim the first-round lead at the Hilton Classic here on Monday.
Zemmer’s compatriot Matteo Cristoni was just one shot behind, giving the Azzurri a strong early lead at the second event of the MENA Golf Tour’s Morocco Series at Al-Houara Golf Club in Tangier.
Zemmer, who started from the 10th tee, carded seven birdies against two bogeys in strong, swirling wind that made scoring difficult throughout the field.
He birdied three consecutive holes from the third before adding another at the ninth to make the turn four-under, and despite dropping shots at 11 and 12, responded with birdies at 15 and 18 to sign for a 67.
Despite a three-putt early in his round, Zemmer was in good spirits, riding the confidence of a strong performance at last week’s Al -Houara Classic. “To make seven birdies in those conditions is very pleasing,” Zemmer said.
“I came into the week feeling confident after playing well last week, and my iron play was solid which allowed me to go at a few pins. I made a small adjustment to my putting setup which definitely helped today.”
Also starting from the 10th, Cristoni was equally impressive, making birdies at 10 and 13 before picking up further shots at the third, fourth and sixth on the front nine. A sole bogey at the seventh was the only blemish on a four-under 68.
Ireland’s Alex Maguire shares second place on four-under par after a round that featured arguably the shot of the day, an eagle at the par-five 15th alongside four birdies.
Maguire admitted he had been hard on himself after a disappointing finish at last week’s Al-Houara Classic but found inspiration on the morning of his round from a fellow Irishman, Ryder Cup star Shane Lowry.
Lowry’s widely-reported interview about throwing away a three-shot lead down the stretch at the Cognizant Classic on the PGA Tour struck a chord. “It was very, very gusty and in many ways it felt like it got harder as the round went on,” Maguire said.
“The front nine was more constant, you could read the wind and commit to a number, but on the back nine it became really unpredictable. It’s much more about feel and experience in these conditions.
“The first thing I saw this morning was Shane Lowry talking about going through something similar at a much bigger event and saying you’ve just got to keep teeing it up and not dwell on it.
“It helped me stop feeling sorry for myself and just get on with it, and I think that showed today.”
Four players share fourth place on three-under par: France’s Pierre Pineau, Scotland’s Sebastian Sandin, England’s Curtis Knipes and Pakistan’s Aadam Syed.
Pineau, who chipped in twice on what he described as two of the toughest holes on the course, credited his experience of playing in Ireland and Scotland for helping him handle the breeze.
“My driving was especially solid and I played very well tee to green,” Pineau said. “Having played so many tournaments in Ireland and Scotland, I’m used to these kinds of conditions.”
Knipes, who felt he benefited from the draw as the wind eased later in his round, was encouraged by his form heading into the second day.
“The wind was pumping and swirling at times but my game feels in a better spot than last week,” he said. “When you look at the scoring overall it’s a very good round in those conditions.”
Seven players are tied for eighth on two-under par: Toby Hunt (Wales), Haiko Dana (Spain), Alfonso Buendia (Spain), Michael Stewart (Scotland), Zubair Firdaus (Malaysia), Brody Harbinson (Australia) and Andoni Etchenique (France).
Ayoub Lguirati was the highest-placed Moroccan, the home favorite carding a level-par round to share 18th position and keeping local interest alive in the tournament.
Round two takes place on Tuesday, with the final round on Wednesday. The Hilton Classic has a prize fund of $100,000 and awards Official World Golf Ranking points.
