Maharashtra lose

GUWAHATI, April 17: Defending champions Bengal struggled to beat Maharashtra 2-1 in their Group II quarter-final league match of the Santosh Trophy Football Tournament at the Nehru Stadium here today. In a Group I match, Punjab defeated hosts Assam by an identical margin.

Bengal were reduced to 10 men after 20 minutes with goalkeeper Bibhas Ghosh receiving marching orders for an infringement on Herbert Philips inside the box. The champions, who were leading by a goal at that stage, also allowed Maharashtra to equalise through the penalty awarded to the western team at Ghosh8217;s foul.

Referee M Sridharan took his time in showing the red card to Ghosh. In fact, the match saw six yellow cards along with the red. As many as five Maharashtra players were booked with Bengal8217;s captain Satyajit Chatterjee being the sixth.