The Hindu : Sport / Football : Bagan lifts Federation Cup

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Sunday, Dec 31, 2006
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Bagan lifts Federation Cup

Principal Correspondent

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan beat Sporting Clube de Goa 4-2 (1-1) in a penalty shootout to lift its 12th Federation Cup title on Saturday. The final of the Peerless sponsored 28th edition of the tournament at the Salt Lake Stadium saw a protracted contest as the two opponents slogged it out for an inconclusive 1-1 result at the end of extra-time.

Sporting Clube became the third team — after Churchill Brothers (quarterfinals) and Dempo SC (semifinals) — of Mohun Bagan to lose in a tie-breaker. Mohun Bagan won the title after a break of five years while Sporting, which played its second successive final, has to wait for another season to take home its maiden title.

All the Mohun Bagan players — Jose Barreto, Dipendu Biswas, Fabio Vidal — struck in the shootout while only Nicolau Borges scored for the visitor. Jose Carvalho and Jagdish Papai's efforts were off the mark while Ernest Jermiah's kick was saved by Mohun Bagan custodian Sangram Mukherjee.

Baichung Bhutia was awarded the most valuable player of the tournament award. The player, who figured in the winner's team list in the tournament for the first time in his long career of almost 16 years, dedicated the award to his first coach, Manash Chakraborty, who expired a few months ago. Churchill Brothers received the Fair Play award.

Early lead

During regulation time, the visitor enjoyed the initial advantage and used it to forge an early lead. Bagan midfielder Mehtab Hussain, out of frustration, felled Joseph Pereira in the fifth minute giving Sporting Clube a free kick. Harmanjot Khabra showed great sense of opportunism and surprised Bagan's other defender Favio Vidal running in from behind to finish the freekick — taken by Nicholas Rodrigues — with a perfect volley to make it 1-0.

For the home side Vidal equalised in the 28th minute.

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