Mahindra United thrash FC Kochin

Mahindra United played fast and attacking soccer to crush F C Kochin 4-0 in a one-sided fifth National Football League match, in Kochi, on Wednesday.

The winners led 2-0 at half-time.

Striker Shamsy Raza drew first blood for Mahindra in the 24th minute. Nigerian Bernard Oparanozie struck the second and third goals in the 31st and 66th minute, while substitute S Hussain rounded off the tally three minutes before full time.

With the victory, Mahindra have 17 points from 16 matches. FC Kochin have 29 points from 17 matches. It was F C Kochin's third successive defeat.

The local outfit were without the services of I M Vijayan and Joe Paul, both of whom are in the Indian coaching camp for the pre-World Cup matches.

The Bombay team dominated play and could have won the match by a bigger margin but for the poor marksmanship of forwards Raman Vijayan and Najeeb, who is recovering from an injury.