Date:23/10/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/10/23/stories/2002102301932200.htm

Sport - Football

Bengal, Maharashtra and Manipur in quarterfinals

Imphal Oct. 22. Cup contender Bengal, formidable Maharashtra and host Manipur sailed into the quarterfinals, prevailing over their rivals in contrasting styles in the 58th National football championship for Santosh Trophy here on Tuesday.

Bengal trounced Jammu and Kashmir 5-0 to top cluster one while Maharashtra survived some anxious moments before pipping Meghalaya 3-2 in cluster two at the polo club ground.

In the other match of the day, host Manipur rode on a Bijen Singh hat-trick to thrash Pondichery 9-0 and finish as champion of cluster four.

Bengal striker Dipendu Biswas, who has been in scintillating form, netted thrice against a weak J&K to take his tally to seven from two matches. Biswas had scored four goals when his team drubbed Rajasthan 7-0 in their tournament lung-opener. Surya Bikash Chakraborty and Anupam Sarkar got the other goals for the winner in the one-sided match.

Altafuddin Hameed put Maharashtra into the lead in the 51st minute and his teammate Anthony Fernandes showed fine marksmanship to make the scoreline 2-0 in the 71st minute.

But the complexion of the match changed soon after. No sooner had the cheers in the gallery died down that Meghalaya's Freddy Kharpran pulled one back only a minute later.

Buoyed by the goal, Meghalaya mounted a series of attacks and Sam Kharbhih found the target in the 78th minute to bring both teams on an even keel. But a determined Maharashtra struck the winner in the very next minute through Aziz Quereshi.

Manipur's Bijen Singh, who had scored four goals in his team's first match against Himachal Pradesh, repeated the feat with Tiken Singh scoring a brace and Kh Sanaton Singh, Ranabir Singh and I.N. Singh scoring one each against Pondicherry.

— PTI