The Hindu : E. Bengal on top

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 01, 2004

Sport

Sport - Football

E. Bengal on top

KOLKATA, FEB. 29. The very first round of the second phase saw a reversal of fortunes as defending champion Kingfisher East Bengal powered to the top of the table beating Salgaocar SC of Goa 3-1 in a 12th round encounter of the VIII National Football League here at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday.

The host, fresh from a brilliant 4-2 win in its latest AFC Cup league win over Malaysia's Negri Sembilan at the same venue, started on a confident note. Baichung Bhutia did most of the damage by scoring the first two goals in the first session while Subhas Chakraborty rounded off the tally. For the visitor Bello Rasaq scored the only goal off a corner in the first session.

East Bengal now has 24 points from seven wins, three draws and two losses for a one-point lead over Dempo, which fell back to the second spot (23 points). Salgaocar continued to remain in the sixth spot with 17 points from 12 matches.

The contest saw three players receiving the marching orders for on-field violence. Both the teams were reduced to 10 men by the fifth minute when East Bengal's Dipak Mondal and Salgaocar's Felix Ibrebru, traded blows and the referee had no hesitation in banishing the two. The third man to join the list of offenders was the visitor's Nigerian defender, Bello Rasaq, who used his elbow on Baichung Bhutia's face in the 71st minute.

East Bengal found the target in the fifth minute as Bhutia tapped home a rebound when Salgaocar custodian Rajat Ghosh Dastidar spilled the ball while trying to thwart an attempt by Mike Okoro. Salgaocar scored the equaliser through Rasaq's header in the 39th minute. But the turnaround by the host was quick as it seized the lead with Bhutia scoring -- his second of the match and sixth of the tournament -- a smart goal by chipping over a stranded Ghosh Dastidar.

Subhas Chakraborty increased the lead to 3-1 as Okoro set the former free inside the box with a successful variation in the 53rd minute freekick.

Our Sports Reporter

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

News Update

Stories in this Section

Cricket

Pakistan storms into final

West Zone hits back

England `A' in pursuit of stiff target

Tennis

Indians will have to pull up their socks

Hockey

Mumbai in semifinals

Football

E. Bengal on top

UEFA meet to follow `golden goal' rule

Badminton

Vijay Anand wins two titles

Chess

Kasparov lets Radjabov off the hook

Racing : Motor

Armaan Ebrahim hogs limelight

Sports : General

U.P., A.P. share day's honours

Swimming

Masters meet evokes memories

Bridge

Indra Danush team triumphs