Bengaluru FC took on the crossbar challenge while training ahead of their first home game against Shillong Lajong in the I-League. Curtis Osano and newly appointed Performance Analyst, Matt Holland ended up as joint winners with Sunil Chhetri and Shankar Sampingiraj also participating.
In the first round, all of the four ‘contenders’ vying for the crossbar king throne had 5 attempts at hitting the crossbar each. As captain of the club, Sunil Chhetri had the privilege of going first, but the Indian talisman fluffed his lines, managing to miss the crossbar with every attempt.
Bengaluru FC defender Curtis Osano went next – the champion of the ‘Crossbar Challenge 2013’ took 5 attempts as well, and went one better than his skipper, hitting the crossbar with his second attempt. Matt Holland, a member of BFC’s coaching staff, indulged in some light banter with Chhetri, but his first four attempts missed the crossbar, but Holland saved face by hitting the crossbar with his final try.
With India and Karnataka’s pride at stake, Shankar ‘one of our own’ Sampingiraj, was the last to attempt the crossbar challenge, but the midfielder also failed to strike the crossbar,thus emulating his skipper.
Osano and Holland faced off in a winner takes all showdown, but the duo managed to strike the crossbar with one out of their 5 attempts, leaving the winner undecided.
With only 4 out of 30 attempts at the crossbar finding their target, perhaps we ought to take lessons from Brazilian star Neymar Jr. The Barcelona forward has a tendency to showboat, but can legitimately claim to be a crossbar king, displaying his incredible technique in the foloowing video :
