Mahindras dominate

By A Special Correspondent

MUMBAI, FEB. 7. A 35th minute self-goal changed the complexion of the return match in the fourth National Football League, sponsored by Coca-Cola, at the Cooperage ground, here, this evening. After that, it was mostly Mahindra and Mahindra.

The three points from this match swells the Mumbai team's tally to 20 from 13 games and take it to third place above Jagatjit Cotton and Textiles Mills on superior goal difference. The defeat was East Bengal's fifth in 13 games and leaves it in ninth place with 14 points. The teams had drawn goalless in the first leg.

Right stopper Ranjan Dey, from the top of the box, headed back and into goal a punt of Aqueel Ansari, as goalkeeper Prasanta Dora needlessly came out, leaving his charge unguarded. East Bengal started sinking noticeably thereafter.

The first half-hour was even. East Bengal indicated that it was coming into its own through Willy Brown, Emmanuel Opoku, Dipankar Biswas and Rennedy Singh, all of whom had chances to score.

But Mahindras was fluid and more impressive. Jordanian Samir Jamil not only read and broke up the opposition's moves but also prompted colleagues to attack. He had fine support from Aqueel Ansari. The two made for Mahindras' sustained supremacy.

Mahindras' attack pleased this evening. Jordanian Bassam Khatib, the focal point, Manjit Singh, who had a fine volley blocked by Prasanta Dora and another shot crash against the near upright in the first half, Abbas Ali Rizvi and linkman Satish Minz exposed the chinks in East Bengal's defence. Had Shamsi Reza and Rizvi turned into goal two fine passes of Khatib in the second half, and had Khatib himself had a strong right foot, Mahindras' reward would have been commensurate with its penetrative play.

Khatib was pulled out and Nitin Pradhan sent in with 20 minutes left. This substitution was hard to comprehend. With only a one- goal lead, Mahindras by no means was secure enough to ease the pressure that Khatib had put on the wretched East Bengal defence.

East Bengal shot its bolt after the first half an hour. The not totally fit Rennedy Singh, Tushar Rakshit, who laid a fine through early for Dipankar to come up and cross but never looked his normal self, and Willy Brown clearly could not sustain their performances and inspire hopes of a rally. Except for Brown's powerful drive from 20 yards, which goalkeeper Virender Singh parried well, East Bengal were not in the second half. It was lucky that the margin of defeat was just 0-1.

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