KOLKATA: Former champion Mohun Bagan held Chinese visitor, Shenzhen Kingway, to a goalless draw in the concluding group B league match here at the Salt Lake Stadium on Sunday to book a semifinal berth in the 112th IFA Shield Football.

Playing its second goalless draw — the first being against local opponent Mohammedan Sporting — Mohun Bagan tallied two points from its quota of matches in the three-team group to come second behind the Chinese team.

Kingway tops group

Shenzhen Kingway, which beat Sporting 1-0 in its earlier match, topped the group with four points.

The semifinal line up will be clear after the final group A league match between East Bengal and Mahindra United on Monday.

Mohun Bagan, strengthened by the inclusion of its talismanic striker Baichung Bhutia, showed greater initiative and earned a host of scoring opportunities, especially in the last 10 minutes of the match.

But the goal remained elusive as none of its attackers — including Bhutia and Brazilian Jose Barreto — could produce the desired finish.

The Chinese, having already confirmed its passage to the knockout stage, seemed to take it easy but still managed to deny their opponent a win. - Principal Correspondent

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