Date:06/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/06/stories/2008120661481800.htm

Sport - Football

Mahindra United thrashes HASC

Principal Correspondent

BARASAT: Mahindra United thrashed Hindustan Aeronautics SC (HASC) 3-0 in a Group B league match for a confident start to its campaign in the 30th Federation Cup football here at the Vidyasagar Stadium on Friday.

In another match of the same group a 10-men Churchill Brothers rode on a couple of strikes from Okolie Odafa to beat Mohammedan Sporting 2-1.

Mahindra, which has been struggling for form in the I-League, would be feeling relieved with the big margin of victory although it may have come against a qualifier.

HASC did well to hold the famed Mumbai side goalless in the first session. But after the break Chidi Edeh gave Mahindra the break five minutes into the second session.

The Nigerian striker made it 2-0 in the 59th minute. Substitute Bhola Prasad took the match beyond HASC scoring Mahindra’s third goal in the 84th minute.

Starting trouble

Churchill Brothers got into trouble almost immediately after the start losing its goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya, who was sent off in the third minute for a dangerous tackle on Mohammedan Sporting forward Vimal Pariyar.

Mohammedan Sporting, which left out its two foreigners Mike Okoro and Aduwesi Adebayo on disciplinary grounds, struggled to contain a depleted opposition which found the lead off a 30th minute penalty scored by Odafa.

Mohammedan Sporting equalised in the 72nd minute through Jyothi Kumar but its efforts to force a draw was crushed by Odafa, who scored the winner three minutes from the final whistle.

The group league action restarts after a day’s break on Sunday, which will see Dempo SC playing Chirag United and Mumbai FC taking on State Bank of Travancore in two group A matches.