Sport - Football

East Bengal in semifinals

BARASAT: East Bengal launched a late rally to beat Sporting Clube de Goa 1-0 in the concluding round of matches in Group C of the 30th Federation Cup football on Monday. Sanju Pradhan scored the winner in the 78th minute.

With full nine points, from an all-win record, East Bengal joined the two Goa sides — Dempo SC and Churchill Brothers — in the semifinals.

In the other match of the same group, JCT floundered ample scoring opportunities before pipping qualifier New Delhi Heroes by a solitary goal. Jaspal Singh converted from the spot in the 15th minute.

Sporting Clube had East Bengal on the mat for the greater part of the first session. The current I-League leader, which had crashed out of the tournament, was under no pressure to perform and seemed to enjoy the situation more than its opponent.

Sporting Clube striker Freddy Mascarenhas, who had switched over from East Bengal this season, shot wide from close in the fourth minute. Steven Fernandes’s try in the eighth minute was tipped over by East Bengal custodian, Abhra Mondal. The home side survived another chance in the 20th minute when Mondal saved a header from Mascarenhas.

The second session, which started around 25 minutes as some floodlights went off, saw the continuation of the Sporting dominance. Steven Fernandes almost got the break in the 53rd minute but the upright came in the way.

East Bengal turned it around in the last half an hour of the action and found the break in the 78th minute off the diminutive Sanju Pradhan, who latched on to a Sunil Chetri assist.

The East Bengal margin could have been bigger had not Yakubu Yusif, Syed Rahim Nabi and Chetri missed sitters from close.

In the other match, the only clear opportunity coming JCT’s way in the first session resulted in a penalty. In the 15th minute, Heroes’ defender Barister Rymbpi handled the ball inside the box, while trying to cut off a cross from JCT midfielder Baljit Sahni, and Jaspal Singh converted.

Stung by the reverse, the Delhi worked on counter-attacks and came close to scoring the equaliser in the 18th minute. But the goal did not materialise as Itaue de Oliviera, fumbled an open chance.

JCT redoubled its efforts in the second session and created chances at will. The good work in the midfield was nullified by clumsy finishing and the Punjab side missed at least five open chances.

Jiten Rai almost got the equaliser in the 82nd minute but his effort went wayward.

Despite getting in unchallenged into the Heroes’ box on two occasions in the last seven minutes, the temperamental Brazilian Eduardo Da Silva blew away the chances with wild shots.

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