The Hindu : Mahindra United has it easy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 26, 2003

Sport

Sport - Basketball

Mahindra United has it easy

By Our Special Correspondent

MUMBAI FEB. 25 Mahindra United re-discovered the knack of playing to its potential in a crucial home game against Dempo Sports Club on Tuesday, walking away with three points after a 2-0 victory. Brazilian striker Jose Damasio converted a ninth minute penalty, fellow forward Mongba Samson nodded in a superbly headed goal eight minutes into the second half of this seventh National Football League match at the Cooperage. The event is sponsored by Oil PSUs.

It was the fourth win in 16 games for the home team, swelling the points tally to 17 while the visitors, placed further up the ladder, remain on 23 points from the same number of matches.

Mahindra United showed more urgency to make inroads into rival territory, encouraged by the promptings and presence of Odartey Lawson in the deep defence. Skipper Debjit Ghosh was brought down near the penalty spot when following up a James Singh diagonal pass into the goalmouth. Damasio took the penalty kick, hitting the ball past goalkeeper Abhijit Mondal's head high into the net. Dempo's methodical approach saw it making inroads into the Mumbai team's defence, but had the misfortune of having a goal disallowed for offside by referee V.Aravindakshan, who ended up showing six yellow cards.

Dempo's hunt for goals saw it keeping MU defence on tenterhooks, especially E.Chenna whose shot on the turn gave goalkeeper S.Rajan a scare. The Goans were caught on a counter-attack, James Singh racing through on the right, dodging past one defender before pulling the ball back from the goalline. Samson created the goal out of nowhere, diving forward to score with a glancing header. The home side pressed hard thereafter, employed the offside trap to keep a check on the rival strikers and with Ghanaian import Lawson masterminding operations from the deep, retained ball possession with forthright play till the final whistle.

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