The Hindu : Osumanu's goal puts Churchill on top

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 22, 2002

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Sport - Football

Osumanu's goal puts Churchill on top

MARGAO, MARCH 21. A late goal by defender Osumanu Husseni helped Zee Churchill beat defending champion East Bengal by a solitary goal here on Thursday and put the Goan outfit on top of the table in the Tata National Football League.

After a barren first half, Zee Churchill put pressure on the rival defence and scored the all-important goal in the 81st minute through Husseni's header off a cross from Sayed Amin Mousavi from the left.

In the first half East Bengal held the territorial advantage over its rival and created more scoring chances. But it failed to capitalise on its chances. Medio Dipankar Roy was the main culprit missing two sitters in the second half.

With this win Churchill, which has played one match less than Mohun Bagan, is on par with Bagan with 32 points from 16 matches and heads the table by virtue of better goal difference.

East Bengal, which suffered its eighth defeat, remains at eighth with 23 points from 17 matches.

Zee Churchill was reduced to 10 men four minutes before the final whistle when striker Abdul Saley received his second booking from referee Walter Pereira after he tripped Tushar Rakshit from behind.

Referee Pereira also showed yellow cards to Churchill's Sameer Naik and East Bengal's Dipak Kumar Mondal.

- PTI

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