Mahindras hold Tollygunge

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 15: Manjeet Singh's header and Kajal Bhattacharjee's half volley hit ended the return match between Mahindras and Tollygu...

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 15: Manjeet Singh8217;s header and Kajal Bhattacharjee8217;s half volley hit ended the return match between Mahindras and Tollygunje Aggragrami in an 1-1 draw in the Coca-Cola National League Football Championship at the Cooperage here on Tuesday.

Manjeet Singh stunned the strong pro-Bengali crowd and Tollygunge bench with an 18-yard header in the 38th minute. Samsi Raza gave a cross which dipped just near the box line. Goalkeeper Bivash Ghosh, following the flight of the ball, rushed out. As he streched his hands to hold it, Manjeet rose high and slammed home.

Kajal8217;s return goal came in the 63rd minute. Captain Chandan Das booted a dipping flag-kick and Kajal reached it before defender Christopher realised that goalkeeper Virender had blundered by leaving the post for the ball which was not his. Kajal dived and scooped the ball in.

Tolly8217;s Isiaka Awoyemi was given the job to police Jordanian Bassam Khatib, but the latter managed to break in time and again. However, he had still not gauged the anticipation and speed of his forwards and on many occasions, the ball went into vacant places.

In the dying minutes, Satish Minz unleashed a 20-yard shot and Ghosh, though troubled by the awkward bounce in front of him, managed to block it.

Ossius 8216;tricks

CALCUTTA: Brazilian striker Ossius struck a hattrick as East Bengal blanked State Bank of Travancore 3-0 in the Fourth National Football League encounter here on Tuesday.

Stung by three successive defeats against Salgaocar, Mahindras and lowly Dempo, a desperate East Bengal finally got their act together to put up a decent parformance at the Salt Lake Stadium here.

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The East Bengal offensive machinery swung into action early as Ossius outwitted a couple of SBT defenders and then unelashed a power packed left-footer from just outside the box which went into the net in the third minute.

The local team consolidated their margin in the 20th minute following a sudden attack against the run of play. SBT custodian Feroze Sharief failed to properly collect a Sheikh Sanjib long-ranger and the ball came out of his hands and an onrushing Ossius tried to slot home, but Sharief managed a clumsy clearance with his foot. Sheikh Sanjib again had a try but Shiv Kumar made a goalline save. The ball, however, went only as far as Ossius, standing nearby. The striker8217;s shot went in off the foot of Shiv Kumar.

Going into half time with a 2-0 lead, East Bengal refused to rest on their laurels and scored again in the 49th minute, as Dipankar Roy essayed the ball square to Carlton Chapman who released it to Ossius to do the rest.