Atif gifts National DSA final's berth

Riding on two late goals gifted by rival custodian Mohammed Atif, who made two horrendous lapses in the closing stages, which paved the way for Indian National to book their berth for the Monday's final after they edged past Ahbab Club 2-0 in the first semi-final of the SAIL-ONGC Delhi Soccer Association’s senior division football championship played at the Ambedkar Stadium here on Thursday.

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National's coach came out with his master stroke when he brought Iffyani Nkenchor in the field replacing Peter Osuagwu in the 80th minute. Substituted striker Iffyani Nkenchor stood out good on his coach's gamble as he slotted one in the 82nd minute to put his team ahead. Manish Khattri (84th) added one more in a span of two minutes to spell the dooms for the opponents.

The match started on a pacy note with Nationals Manish Khattri striking a stinging 30-yard left footer in the 2nd minute of the game, which was finely saved by Atif diving to his right.

After some initial forays from the either sides, the game turned into the dull encounter as the play was much confined to the midfield with both the teams relying on counters to attack. Both the teams went into the breather with a goalless scoreline.

On resumption, Ahbab got their act together and came close to surge ahead, two minutes into the second-half, but much to their dismay as Rajiv's header went close past the post. Five minutes later Nationals foreigner Anthony Agbaraji missed an easy sitter from inside the D by shooting a skier.

The moment of glory came in the 82nd minute when Nigerian Nkenchor latched onto a ball and guided it into the net to make it 1-0, after the ball was misjudged and slipped from rival goalkeeper's hands while collecting a long cross from the right flank.

Two minutes later, Old hand Trilok Bisht dodged past two Ahbab defenders from the left to cut back into the centre and unleashed a powerful shot that surprised Atif who couldn't clear it properly and found Manish Khattri in front who slammed it home to seal the fate of the opponents.

Nationals will fight it out with the winner of the second semifinal played between New Delhi Heroes and Tarun Sangha who will meet later in the day. The final will be played on Monday.