Two left footers and numerous run-ins marked a match which leaves five points separating seven teams in the second edition of the Indian Super League. At the end, both Delhi Dynamos and Atletico de Kolkata cancelled each other out with a goal apiece
The match started with a minute's silence over the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. Or that was the plan. Before sixty seconds were up, the spectators got vocal. This was a small incident but one that would reflect the abrupt nature of certain incidents that took place during the match and its aftermath.
A fair draw
The play in itself was attack minded from both teams as they made quite a few raids in each other's territory. The two goals were taken with aplomb. The first goal came about due to a goalkeeping error by Doblas but Iain Hume was in the right place to smash the ball in, with the Delhi defence personnel reduced to the status of bystanders.
A similar feeling of helplessness was experienced by Atletico de Kolkata when Richard Gadze found space in the box and took a couple of touches before wrapping his left foot around the ball to fierce effect. A winner could have emerged after that but a draw was fair in the sense that it manifested the desire of both teams to gain one-upmanship.
Unfortunately, in doing so there were various altercations. At the end of the first half there was a clash between Robin Singh and Augustin Fernandes. There did not seem to be any trigger point for the scuffle. Their competitiveness perhaps needed such a conduit or so they thought. The players went head to head with their brows touching each other. They knew that if either of them (or both) moved their heads any further that would be cause for stricter action. Thus a mutually beneficial passive aggressive pose was adapted by both. Others soon came in to break up the scene.
Too many outbursts
Robin Singh had another frustrating moment. He tried to take a quick throw in when the Kolkata goalkeeper was some way off his line. He searched for people in white shirts around and found few responsive to his call. Amrinder was back to his box and the moment was gone. Singh openly cursed – either himself or his team mates.
Gustavo Dos Santos of Delhi Dynamos found cause for irritation when he got substituted. He walked around the pitch to go to the substitutes' bench instead of greeting his substitute Gadze at the sidelines. One suspects that he also did not want to greet Roberto Carlos. He covered his face with a towel for an elongated period of time. When he cared to show his face, a miffed look seemed to have found tenancy there.
Roberto Carlos got into an altercation with Valdo, the Kolkata midfielder after the match. There seemed to be a heated exchange of words followed by Carlos attempting to knee Valdo. Like in the case of Singh and Fernandes, others intervened. Carlos notably dispensed with the current standard of duelling and went old school. It seems unlikely that he will face any sanction for his action. It is hard to imagine him doing this in his prime. Nostalgia gets a jolt. If a side is to be judged by the demeanour of its manager, then Delhi should not be taken to be a particularly calm side. It is possible that Carlos acts as the negative enforcer for his team. One can't help but feel that it is more about his frustration at the situation around him.
Frustration is a necessary evil in football. One has to combat it or internalise it so as to be on top of proceedings. There are times when things are not so bad in terms of play and yet a player or a manager feels a festering itch. What he or she forgets is that the itch can spread to the rest of the squad and affect their actions in ways they can't control.
The match started with a minute's silence over the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. Or that was the plan. Before sixty seconds were up, the spectators got vocal. This was a small incident but one that would reflect the abrupt nature of certain incidents that took place during the match and its aftermath.
A fair draw
The play in itself was attack minded from both teams as they made quite a few raids in each other's territory. The two goals were taken with aplomb. The first goal came about due to a goalkeeping error by Doblas but Iain Hume was in the right place to smash the ball in, with the Delhi defence personnel reduced to the status of bystanders.
A similar feeling of helplessness was experienced by Atletico de Kolkata when Richard Gadze found space in the box and took a couple of touches before wrapping his left foot around the ball to fierce effect. A winner could have emerged after that but a draw was fair in the sense that it manifested the desire of both teams to gain one-upmanship.
Unfortunately, in doing so there were various altercations. At the end of the first half there was a clash between Robin Singh and Augustin Fernandes. There did not seem to be any trigger point for the scuffle. Their competitiveness perhaps needed such a conduit or so they thought. The players went head to head with their brows touching each other. They knew that if either of them (or both) moved their heads any further that would be cause for stricter action. Thus a mutually beneficial passive aggressive pose was adapted by both. Others soon came in to break up the scene.
Too many outbursts
Robin Singh had another frustrating moment. He tried to take a quick throw in when the Kolkata goalkeeper was some way off his line. He searched for people in white shirts around and found few responsive to his call. Amrinder was back to his box and the moment was gone. Singh openly cursed – either himself or his team mates.
Gustavo Dos Santos of Delhi Dynamos found cause for irritation when he got substituted. He walked around the pitch to go to the substitutes' bench instead of greeting his substitute Gadze at the sidelines. One suspects that he also did not want to greet Roberto Carlos. He covered his face with a towel for an elongated period of time. When he cared to show his face, a miffed look seemed to have found tenancy there.
Roberto Carlos got into an altercation with Valdo, the Kolkata midfielder after the match. There seemed to be a heated exchange of words followed by Carlos attempting to knee Valdo. Like in the case of Singh and Fernandes, others intervened. Carlos notably dispensed with the current standard of duelling and went old school. It seems unlikely that he will face any sanction for his action. It is hard to imagine him doing this in his prime. Nostalgia gets a jolt. If a side is to be judged by the demeanour of its manager, then Delhi should not be taken to be a particularly calm side. It is possible that Carlos acts as the negative enforcer for his team. One can't help but feel that it is more about his frustration at the situation around him.
Frustration is a necessary evil in football. One has to combat it or internalise it so as to be on top of proceedings. There are times when things are not so bad in terms of play and yet a player or a manager feels a festering itch. What he or she forgets is that the itch can spread to the rest of the squad and affect their actions in ways they can't control.
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