Services will take on Kerala in the first semi-final of the 66th Santosh Trophy football tournament at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Friday.
Both teams collected seven points each in the quarterfinal league. However, Services appear to be in red-hot form, having scored 11 goals in three matches For Services, V.V. Farhad has been the standout performer. The forward has pumped in five goals, including a hat-trick against Chhattisgarh.
Services, whose only national title came in the 1960-61 season, would once again look up to their star striker to deliver. Apart from Farhad, Subrat Sarkar has also been in good touch with two goals.
Services coach V. Sajith Kumar wants the rest of his boys to come to the party on the big occasion. “Farhad has been exceptional with his shooting.
Now I want more from others. Our back line is pretty strong as well but my main centre-back Rary has sprained his ankle. We will take a final call on him on the match day,” he added.
Last year, Services failed to cross the semi-final hurdle as they lost a close battle to eventual runners-up Manipur.
“We will go all out against Kerala. It’s a do or die situation, so there is no point in playing safe football.
As our opponents are a strong team, we have to be at our best. We’ll show a lot of grit like we did while holding Orissa in front of a partisan crowd in the league,” the coach said.
After a mediocre show in the previous edition in Guwahati where they lost to Manipur in the pre-quarterfinals, five-time champions Kerala are in no mood to return home empty-handed.
“We don’t want to worry about the past. This year we have bounced back strongly and we have a good team that is capable of going all the way.
I am not bothered about Services’ performance. We will continue to play our normal game of attacking through the wings,” said Kerala coach M.M. Jacob.
The southern state’s emphatic 3-1 win over a promising Maharashtra was one of the highlights of the league.
“We created a lot of chances in the earlier matches too but our finishing lacked conviction. With the Maharashtra win we have the momentum with us,” said Jacob, who has coached Kerala seven times at the national championship.
Kerala, who had to come through the rigours of playing in the clusters, have their task cut out. They are bound to be more tired than Services who joined the quarterfinal league straightaway thanks to their performance in the previous edition.
Action today
At Cuttack: Semi-final: Kerala vs Services (6.45pm).