Mahindra blank BMFC

Nevertheless, Mahindras deserved their piece of cake today. And the win sets up a mouth-watering contest with Air-India for the title on Sunday. Air-India are on 27 points and Mahindras have moved up to 25. Air-India have the advantage of the two points and a draw will suffice.

Mahindras did not try any experiments today. It was just their vigour that set them apart. They allowed BMFC no space in centre and in the first half hour, they had breached the BMFC defence twice. Left-back Sanjay Dayal had the first crack at the goal. BMFC goalkeeper Amit Singha Roy saved.

Then Manjit Singh was served in front of the goal but the striker was unbalanced and did not connect the cross properly.

Then came the goal. Centre back Naushad Moosa threw in and BMFC8217;s Suresh Singh headed the ball 8230; in the wrong direction and into his own goal.

8220;That demoralised us,8221; said Jamshed Nassiri, the BMFC coach.

Mahindras had more. They hit the post five minutes later when Abbas Ali Rizvi flew and connected Satish Minz8217;s cross.

But BMFC, as is their wont, came back charging in the second half. Right-back Gift Rai Khan and Suresh Singh made way for Jaspreet Singh and Mahesh Thapa. But basically, they created panic among the Mahindras ranks.

Tapon Ghosh, the centre-back, who has played consistently, was switched to the right and he started overlapping. They gained some space in the centre and there was pressure on the Mahindra defence.

8220;I kept telling the players to clear the ball into the flanks. That would have made the BMFC strikers run and fetch the ball. But we kept hitting the ball into the centre and gave them scope for counters,8221; explained SS Hakim the Mahindra coach.

BMFC created a couple of chances. Manas Thapa set up Adeshina Sadiq with a headed pass but the striker could not control the ball with the Mahindra defence scattered. Again it was Sadiq who missed with Jagjit putting his head to the ball and providing the former with the bullet.

After surviving the first 20 minutes in the second half, Mahindras regrouped and scored their second goal. From a throw-in, Moosa lifted the ball for Manjit to flick the ball over the charging Roy.

8220;It was Roy8217;s mistake. He should have charged out earlier,8221; claimed Nasiri.

Mahindras brought fresh legs in Nitin Pradhan and Sanjay Raval for Rizvi and Andrew Louis and renewed their attacks.

It was only for the last 20 minutes that the teams played on an even keel. But BMFC8217;s lack of strikers was in evidence with Konar unable to get enough feeds and Jaspreet Singh more interested in spoiling Mahindras.

In the relegation league match, Union Bank Supreet Jathana and MS Police Javed Pathan drew 1-1.