Ozbey orchestrates HAL bloodbath

BANGALORE: There was a match at the Bangalore Football Stadium alright but the result was a foregone conclusion.
Hosts Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) took the field on Wednesday for their seventh round I-League match against Kolkata powerhouse East Bengal without a proper gameplan. They had included three of the injured players in the team list.Even the players' body language said they were not ready to put up a fight against their fancied opponents.
Their worst fears came true in the end as they were battered and bruised in a riot of attacking football. The 8-1 drubbing was one of the worst defeats suffered by the Bangalore side in the top tier football league thus far.
Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey led the goal-glut for the Kolkata powerhouse, finding the back of the net four times, including three in succession.
The HAL defenders could not catch up with the Australian's pace and Ozbey got a free run down the middle whenever he was in possession. He won many hearts with his delectable ball control, and each of his four goals was received with thunderous applause. Expectedly, he was given the man of the match award.
Ozbey, who missed the crucial Kolkata derby on Sunday, was in his elements right from the start, but could not find the target in the first half. But when he began in the second, goals came at regular intervals - 49{+t}{+h}{+ }minute, 59{+t}{+h}, 71st and 86{+t}{+h} - with the HAL defence being beaten with consummate ease.
However, coach Trevor Morgan picked his last goal, which came off a header, as the best of the day. It was a result of a combined effort from Robin Singh and Ozbey. Robin's lofted cross from the goalline in the left met Ozbey and the latter outjumped his rivals to put the ball past HAL custodian Amar Deb. "The cross from Robin was a wonderful one, so was Ozbey's header," Morgan said after the match.
The visitors, who reached the city only on Tuesday night, never looked travel weary and were dominant from the start. They went ahead in the eighth minute itself, capitalising on a goalkeeper's blunder. Amar Deb could not clear a minus pass from Joseph Femi in time, and it allowed Robin Singh to pounce on the ball to bulge the net.
Defender Uga Okpara too joined the party with twin strikes in 26th and 36th minutes - both powerful left footers -before handing the scoring mantle to Ozbey. India international Baljit Sahni added his name to the scorer's list, a minute after coming off from the bench in the 75th minute.
In between, HAL were lucky to be awarded a penalty when Robert Lathlamuana tripped HAL striker Hamza inside the box. The Nigerian himself took the penalty and converted it to make the scores 1-1 for a brief period in the 16th minute.
Morgan said he was happy the team had returned to its winning ways. "We have a long way to go, but I am happy with the win." He also showered praised on Ozbey. "He brings pace to the side."
"We didn't expect such a drubbing," was the candid confession from HAL manager Muralidharan. The big defeat might put pressure on the HAL team management to rethink the team's combination and the strategy for the forthcoming ties.