Under-19 I-League: Rakesh Oram hattrick guides AIFF Elite Academy to second win

Rakesh Oram netted an outstanding hattrick and two assists to stir the AIFF Elite Academy to their big 5-1 home victory in the second round of Under-19 I-league competition against Dempo SC at Cuncolim ground on yeterday, December 18.Dempo SC's run of misery continued in their second away fixture as Rakesh Oram's emphatic finish from Milan Basumatary's low cross precluded an intention to attack all-out from the early exchanges of the game. The proliferating forays forward by host from the off, enforced the visitors to take a back seat and left them with no option than to sit back and soak the pressure.It proved a difficult encounter for Dempo SC keeper Allison Fernandes, who made a series of outstanding saves to restrict the AIFF Elite Academy to 1-0, until skipper Daniel Lalhlimpuia arrowed the cross from Rakesh Oram past the rival goalkeeper just before a minute to the interval. At half-time the score was 2-0.After the restart, a tactical switch in the style of play and energetic pressing and possession paid-off Dempo SC's to get a foothold into the game. The light of hope in a swarthy tale was given by Jorge Rodrigues with a sweetly timed header on skipper Aaron Rodrigues cross. Buoyed by that, in a thick of a moment the Dempo SC nearly equalised with a heading effort from the striker Suraj Haldankar went agonisingly wide of the post.The bad day quickly got worse for the visitors, as the AIFF brought on their stout midfielder Robinson Singh, who orchestrated the play in the midfield and got on to the scoresheet himself with a probing ball over the Dempo SC's back four; allowing the right full-back to cross the ball into the penalty area; the buccaneer Rakesh Oram measurably set up the cross from Shahbaaz khan for Robinson Singh to volley the ball into the back of the net.In the 85th minute, the effort from Milan Basumatary was ricocheted off the rival keeper but not too far for Rakesh Oram to complete his brace with a sweetly timed header. In the dying minutes of the game it was again Rakesh Oram who conjured up a moment of magic; after meddling the pass between both centre back; completing his treble with a solo finish over the keeper.After the second home victory the AIFF Elite Academy continues to stay at the top of the zonal league table with six points. The AIFF Elite Academy will be facing Sporting Clube de Goa on December 23 in Cuncolim Ground at 3:30pm.

(Report & Photo courtesy AIFF Media. Originally published at: http://arunfoot.blogspot.com/)