Chidi146;s last-minute strike stuns JCT

The promise was there right through from Mahindra United, from the fourth minute when Edeh Chidi8217;s...

The promise was there right through from Mahindra United, from the fourth minute when Edeh Chidi8217;s on-the-turn kick hit the base of the post, till the numerous chances the striker came across in the second half, unfortunately frittered away. But the moment of the match came from the Nigerian himself, a last-gasp stunner 35 yards off the box. The nintieth minute goal saw the Mumbai side making the final of the Durand Cup, getting past JCT, who had begun as the overwhelming favourites courtesy their all-win record.

But for the tame end for the 1996 champions, there was more to blame than just the law of averages. Coach Sukhwinder Singh was left lamenting for playing with 10 players. Not that any of his players was sent off, it was just his way of putting Eduardo da Silva8217;s performance. 8220;Apart from the free-kick, he had nothing to do. He didn8217;t involve himself at all. This reduced us to a 10-man side,8221; Singh said.

If Edu took the blame, he had his moments too, twice in the 44th minute 8212; first a free-kick that was fended off by a diving Subhashish Roy and then the consequent corner kick that clipped the bar. Luckily for them, Balwant Singh8217;s bicycle kick on the rebound sent the ball home as JCT finally took the lead in the 44th minute.

Mahindra United, though, stuck to their formula of stirring it up in the second half. So much so that Edeh Chidi and company looked good for five to six goals. Going by the clock, coach Derek Pereira8217;s 69th minute introduction of Paresh Shivalkar for Sushil Singh paid immediate dividends. The midfielder delivered within three minutes from Douhous Pierre8217;s corner.

Meanwhile Chidi kept on making his way through both sides, an ability that Sukhwinder Singh chose to describe as the unwillingness of his defence to hold the ball: 8220;Our defence couldn8217;t play to their strength. We didn8217;t even try to stop them. They were at their best and we at our worst.8221;

Complacency was something that he had guarded coming into the knockout stage, but it was the defence that left him undone.