Mahindra power ahead
Mahindra United almost assured themselves of a semi-final berth, here at the 31st Federation Cup, after showing the door to Mohammedan Sporting, beating them 1-0 in their Group B encounter late on Wednesday.
Mahindra United almost assured themselves of a semi-final berth, here at the 31st Federation Cup, after showing the door to Mohammedan Sporting, beating them 1-0 in their Group B encounter late on Wednesday. They now have six points from two games and need only a draw against Mohun Bagan on Saturday to advance.
Chirag United, the other team in group B, too are out of contention after being held to a goalless draw by Mohun Bagan in the afternoon.
Having lost 1-4 to Mohun Bagan on Monday, beating a compact Mahindra United would always be an uphill task for Mohammedan Sporting. But they did start well and Liberian striker Theodore Wrobeh orchestrated some fine moves.
Like on Monday, Mohammedan Sporting were again reliant on their flanks to feed the strikers. That bore fruit when a Goutam Thakur cross from the right found Wrobeh in front of goal. But Wrobeh, with only goalkeeper Subhasish Roychoudhury to beat, drove at the custodian, resulting in the ball getting deflected.
Mahindra United got the winning goal in the second half, thanks to an alert Paresh Shivalkar. Nigerian Subair Muritala Ali took a long-range left-footed shot that was barely parried by Mohammedan Sporting goalkeeper Manash Baruah. Seeing that the
ball could still go over the goalline, Barua flapped at it but, by then, Shivalkar had surged in from the left to tap home.
Mahindra United could have doubled the lead but Muritala failed to reach skipper Sushil Kumar Singh’s curling cross from the right. The Nigerian again missed an opportunity to score when he fumbled, off a through pass from medio N.P. Pradeep.
In second-half injury time, Wrobeh took the attack to the Mahindra United defence after Satyajit Bose put him in the clear but the Liberian’s flick found the sidenet instead.
Tough ask for Bagan after draw
Earlier, a stubborn Chirag United held defending champions Mohun Bagan to a goalless draw in a match that saw a lot of rough tackles.
Mohun Bagan’s left-side midfielder Snehasish Chakraborty dislocated his elbow after falling awkwardly and is probably out of action for at least a month. Brazilian Jose Barreto fluffed two clear chances while partners Edeh Chidi and Sueoka Ryuji too had a bad day in office.
On the tube:
Lajong FC v Dempo 3.30pm;
Pune FC v Air India 6 pm on Zee Sports