Mohun Bagan blanks SBT

By Our Special Correspondent

KOLKATA, FEB. 1. Defending champion Mohun Bagan showed glimpses of its attacking prowess at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Thursday. In defeating State Bank of Travancore (SBT) 3-0, Mohun Bagan warmed up for tougher encounters ahead in the National Football League. Thus the victory lifted Mohun Bagan to 10 points from four games. SBT remained on two points from four matches. The visitors also tasted their back to back loss.

Earlier, SBT, which had drawn its first two games at Zee Churchill and Indian Telephone Industries (Bangalore) to log with two points, lost to East Bengal 1-3 in the third. The day's verdict was certainly a major blow for the bankmen.

Mohun Bagan controlled the game well in the first half to emerge the superior side. The holder too gained two of the three goals in this half and added one in the second to go out the deserving winner. SBT, on the other hand, was not disgraced in the loss. It created some fine chances but failed to capitalise on them owing to a combination of poor marksmanship and ill luck.

Dream start

The Kolkata's glamour team had a dream start. In the third minute, Mohun Bagan's midfielder Basudev Mondal sent in a defence-splitting through ball. Brazilian import Jose Barrato anticipated the move, ran between the defenders and crashed a left-footer to the far post.

The strike ought to have stopped any side but not this SBT side.

The reverse galvanised the bankmen for greater deeds. Stroking shallow and short passes in the midfield, SBT moved up with quick diagonals and through passes. SBT should have equalised six minute after the Mohun Bagan goal when M.A. Abdul Hakkim made a solo dash down the middle and unleashed a right- footer on the run. Bivash Ghosh flung himself to the left to divert the shot.

SBT pressed ahead hoping to break the Mohun Bagan defence and it did gain a fine chance in the 22nd minute but T. Shabbir Ali, on getting the ball, was as much surprised as the rival goalkeeper and reacted late in a one-to-one situation. A left flank low centre caught the slow-moving Mohun Bagan defenders napping.

Hakkim, running down the middle, sold a dummy to allow the ball to run free on the right flank. Ali, coming in from that side, did not anticipate the move. By the time he recovered his composure, Ghosh was on him in a flash and Ali's hurried shot hit the goaltender's body and went out.

Bagan turns the heat on

Mohun Bagan brought in R.C. Prakash for Amar Ganguly. The speed of Prakash helped his team activate the wing play. The defending champion turned the heat on pushing the ball to the flanks and running down the rival defenders. Cross field and accurate aerial passes marked the local team's forward momentum.

The holder should have gone ahead in the 26th minute after Prakash's shot was saved by goalkeeper. The rebound was not cleared properly by a defender and the ball came back to Prakash. He found Barrato free and set the ball to the Brazilian, who pulled it back and knocked it wide of the target with a left- footed drive.

At the stroke of the second quarter, Mohun Bagan consolidated the lead after Barrato made a hash of a fine opening. R.P. Singh rifled a through into the rival box as Barrato ran between the two stoppers to get hold of the ball. SBT custodian M. Rajeev Kumar charged out and blocked the shot. The ball flew over to give Mohun Bagan a flag kick. Renedy Singh floated the corner kick right in front of Debjit Ghosh as the defenders stood rooted to the spot. Ghosh just nodded home.

SBT came back into the game in the later half with some imaginative approach work but it was Mohun Bagan which looked dangerous. After a 63rd-minute shot by Prakash crashed into the bar, R.P. Singh placed home 11 minutes later, after Barrato did the spade work.

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