E Bengal, Mahindra United draw goaless

S Ayyappa Swamy

On match eve, East Bengal coach Manoranjan Bhattacharjee had said he was keen to get past a plucky Mahindra United, whom he rated highly. Not so much praise for No. 2 placed FC Kochin. And how true it turned out to be.

East Bengal, the leaders of the fifth National Football League, escaped by the proverbial whisker in their away tie at the Cooperage, in Bombay, on Friday. While the Calcutta outfit got nary a chance, it was sheer luck that saw them not concede a goal in a goalless draw, as Mahindra, confident after their success over Salgaocar in the previous round, came out in rousing fashion and all guns blazing.

Very early in the match, striker Raman Vijayan, who teamed up with Harish Kumar on Friday, flicked the ball over goalkeeper Sangaram Mukherjee, but the horizontal came to the rescue.

Vijayan, who has struck three goals so far and is increasingly gaining in confidence, had received the ball from the hard-working wing-half S. Venkatesh.

The former Salgaocar medio was in splendid form and with National coach Sukhwinder Singh sitting behind the fence and watching the proceedings, Venkatesh came up with an outstanding display of attacking football that was matchless. He even had a shot in the first half, a booming, powerful one which was well collected by Mukherjee.

In the second half, following a free-kick by Aqueel Ansari, Iranian Gholam Reza came from behind to head the ball which went periliously close to the metalwork.

There was simply no respite for East Bengal as Mahindra United showed amazing freshness and zest which was lacking in the first part of the NFL.

Both sides played to a similar pattern. A libero/spoiler in front of the defence and another withdrawn forward. For Mahindra, it was Aqueel Ansari and Habib Adenkunle, who was later substituted by Bernard Operoazie. And for East Bengal, it was Anit Ghosh and Omolaja Olalekan.

For a moment it looked as if a cocky coach Bhattacharjee was playing three forwards in Olalekan, Dipendu Biswas and Bijen Singh. But he did not take that chance against Mahindra United.

Both teams were forced to make early changes due to injuries .For Mahindra's Tapon Ghosh, who is in the pre-World Cup camp, was replaced by Christopher while Jackson Agaypong was taken off and another India camper Surkumar Singh brought in. With the Bombay team using the width of the field -- so did the rivals -- the match was an interesting midfield affair.

So aggressive was East Bengal's Suley Musah that he was lucky to get away with a yellow card booking. He deserved to be sent off for two vicious tackles on Bernard.

Ultimately the man who went out, a few seconds before time was captain Bijen Singh, who got two yellow card bookings in quick succession. The red card was flashed when he elbowed Anthony Pereira.

East Bengal are on 27 points while Mahindra have 14.

Related reports:
FC Kochin lead National Football League race
F C Kochin stay ahead
Salgaocar close in on early leaders
Mohun Bagan well-placed after five rounds
Air India, Mahindra in a spot - Summary of Round 6
East Bengal high in the saddle - Summary of Round 7
East Bengal on top for second week - Summary of Round 8
Three in close race - Summary of Round 9
Prakash's hat-trick high point of Round 10
Bungo Singh, R C Prakash steal the limelight