Mohun Bagan won the match. The young boys of Oil India Limited stole the show. The green-and-maroons were stretched to limit before they managed a 2-1 victory in their Federation Cup opener at Barasat Stadium today. Jose Barreto scored both the goals for the winners, while Durga Boro reduced the margin for the side from Dhuljan, Assam. But there was no shame in Oil India’s defeat. The minnows took the 12-time Federation Cup champion by scruff of the neck in the first half with Boro taking the meek out of Bagan defenders. The combination of Habibur Rahman, J Anandavasan Rakesh Mashi and Mohan Raj couldn’t match this youngster’s pace and at times was left gasping for breath. The goal that Boro scored in the 36th minute impressed everybody including national coach Bob Houghton. He latched on to a long ball from the midfield, outpaced Rahman and lobbed the ball over the head of advancing Bagan custodian Sangram Mukherjee. Earlier, Barreto put the hosts in front in the fourth minute when he headed home a Lalkamal Bhowmick cross from the left flank. Skipper Baichung Bhutia’s athleticism and presence of mind created the opening as he pounced on a rebound and gave a backpass to Bhowmick who was there to deliver the cross. The goal was a result of good supporting play.Unperturbed by the deficit, Oil India took the challenge to their more fancied rival and came close to scoring more than once before finally restoring parity.It was a wake up call for Bagan coach Karim Bencherifa who rang in a couple of changes after the breather. PC Lalawmpuia and Ishfaq Ahmed came in for Shylo Malswmtlunga and Bhowmick respectively. The move paid off as Bagan slowly started to find their footing. They scored the winning goal in the 56th minute when Oil India defender Jyotish Basumatary handled a Bhutia overhead kick right on the goalline and conceded a penalty. Barreto made no mistake from the spot. Air India winIn another match, Michael Tayo and Soccor Velho combined well in the 87th minute to give Air India full points in their Federation Cup Group D opener against Vasco at the Barasat Stadium today. When it seemed the match was heading for a goalless draw, the Airmen stunned their opponent with a perfect set-piece movement that saw Uttam Singh’s corner find Tayo, who headed it down to Velho with the latter hitting the target.The Mumbai outfit thus avenged their 1-0 loss to Vasco in the I-League.Air India dominated the show and should have won by a bigger margin. They were also unlucky not be given a penalty in the 37th minute.Samson Singh took a crack at the opposition goal from just outside the penalty box that was deflected off Vasco defender Vincent Pires’ left hand and hit the woodwork. Referee OP Thakur strangely overlooked the incident.Earlier also, Samson was in the thick of things, in the 10th minute, when he had Vasco goalie Laxmikant Kuttimani at his mercy. He, however, shot straight to the keeper.Air India maintained the tempo in the second half as well and came very close to scoring in the 47th minute. Velho sneaked through the defence and set it up nicely for Tayo whose shot ricocheted off the crossbar.Vasco, on the other hand, tried to play it safe and looked organised in the midfield. But they lacked penetration upfront.
