By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Babatunde Badmus scored yet another hat trick to keep Ar-Hima’s chances of qualifying for the final round of the Second Division I-League alive as they beat Southern Samity 4-2 in Silchar on Sunday. Ar-Hima would be through to the final round if group toppers United Sikkim manage to beat or hold Aizwal FC on Monday.
Shrouded amidst controversies after Friday’s loss to United Sikkim, Ar-Hima came out good on Sunday when it took the attack to the opposition from the word go. The team from Shillong scored twice in either half of the match and went into the lead as early as the seventh minute when Babatunde Badmus netted the first of his three goals. Bansharai Sunn doubled the lead in the 33rd minute.
Crossing over, Babatunde made it 3-0 for Ar-Hima in the 76th minute. Three minutes later Southern Samity struck back with a goal from Marcos Pereira. However, another 82nd minute goal from Babatunde sealed the match in his team’s favour. Gour Naskar netted Samity’s second goal in the 84th minute but it was too late to fight back and the match ended 4-2 in favour of Ar-Hima.
All’s well with Ar-Hima
Meanwhile, reacting to reports that appeared in a section of the national media that Ar-Hima coach Subrata Bhattacharya had resigned from his post, the coach who is in Kolkata said, “It is not true that I have resigned.
“I have come to Kolkata after taking prior permission from the team management for my personal work,” Bhattacharya told The Shillong Times.
It may be mentioned that according to reports, the Ar-Hima coach had resigned from his post two days before the game against Baichung Bhutia’s United Sikkim as he had anticipated a lack of commitment on part of his players going into the tie. It was also reported that Bhattacharya had sent an e-mail to the club president informing him of his resignation. However, when contacted by The Shillong Times, Ar-Hima general secratary KF Kurbah denied that the team management had received any such message from the coach.
Earlier, Unted Sikkim had lodged a complaint to the AIFF over the reported statement of Ar-Hima coach that the Baichung Bhutia-owned side had influenced the rival club during their match at Silchar.