MUMBAI, JULY 25: Rudyard Kipling, no doubt, has comprehensively explored the dynamics of the preposition `If' in poetry. But the engrossing encounter between Bengal Mumbai Football Club (BMFC) and Union Bank (UBI) in the Wifa Super Division League at Cooperage today, which the former won 4-2, offered a few relevant posers that could add, if only marginally, to Kipling's treatise. If UBI left back Vijay Kunder had been alert to the wide opening enjoyed by BMFC right out Adel Ansari, BMFC would not have gone 1-0 ahead. Pegging himself to a widish left position, Kunder left unguarded so wide a yawn that would have tempted some homeless bystanders to pitch up a few encroachments there. The unchallenged Ansari sent a carpeted cross which beat a diving Nadeem Ansari. If BMFC left-back Imchen Lanuchuba had not stopped a Rakesh Udupa header, off a corner kick, on the goal-line, UBI would have equalised 3-3, after trooping out 0-3 down at the lemon break. It will necessitate the services of apsychologist and a weatherman respectively to conclude how much of a morale-booster that would have been for UBI, and what would have happened in the remaining 15 minutes. If UBI captain Vijay Thapa had not let a weak Uday Konar cross pass between his legs, assuming the custodian had it covered, Ansari would not have sneaked in, between three defenders, to push in BMFC's fourth goal, to hand UBI their first defeat in the league. IF ! Oh, only IF !On a golden Sunday afternoon, the sun having mopped the outfield to allow some tactical football, the match unfolded in three acts. In the first, BMFC had all the good lines. They were on a romp, and played to the gallery. UBI could do little but glare at fate for being given such a bit role.On the heels of Ansari's grassed drive came a brilliant left-footer by Suresh Singh. Stuck with the ball 10 yards outside the box, the right half was sizing up his options. Finally, he decided to float one in. To his surprise, it dipped in past Ansari for thesecond goal. Singh would dream about the goal for decades to come. UBI's helpless plea heavenwards was met with another snort. Adeshina Sadiq's head rose to meet a corner kick by Uday Konar, and the short UBI men could just awe at the wonders of synchronicity. Sadiq celebrated by blowing kisses to his fans, and followed it with chest bumping with his mates.The mood in the BMFC camp, to say the least, was upbeat So untouchable they felt, Al Capone would have received a complex.It took five minutes of inspiration from UBI to bring them back to earth. At 3.45 p.m. when play resumed after half-time, the score read 3-0. At 3.50, UBI had narrowed it to 2-3. The hardworking Francis Pereira provided the inspiration, his 30-yard outstepper curving enough to beat Gumpe Rime in the air. Rakesh Udupa, who moved from right back to left out in the second half, then capitalised on a defence lapse by Harsharanjit Singh to tilt the scales.BMFC, however sealed the match in the third act, which saw both teams thrustand parry, with Adel Ansari's opportunistic strike.SCOREBMFC 4 (Adel Ansari 2, Suresh Singh, Adeshina Sadiq) bt UBI 2 (Francis Pereira, Rakesh Udupa).
