The Hindu : Sport / Football : HASC holds Mohun Bagan

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Sunday, Jan 07, 2007
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HASC holds Mohun Bagan

Principal Correspondent

WELL DONE: HASC's Gumpe Rime came up with a fine display under the bar. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: Hindustan Aeronautics Sports Club (HASC) may have earned a back-door entry into this edition of the ONGC National Football League. But at the Football Stadium here on Saturday, watched by over 10,000 delirious spectators, HASC began creditably well, defying and denying the famed Mohun Bagan any chance of forging ahead. The Federation Cup champions trooped off the pitch with a goalless draw in a match from which they should have garnered full points.

The famed Kolkata side did everything but score. With the likes of Bhaichung Bhutia and Jose Baretto spearheading the attack, it seemed a matter of time before the floodgates opened. But the dour and dogged HASC defence held out creditably and at times tackled hard.

Gumpe shines

Gumpe Rime, who twice rose to the occasion to tip off the long rangers, was in the thick of action quite often, diving and leaping to cut off the crosses that would have otherwise spelt danger, and was deservingly adjudged Man of the Match.

It was not that Bagan did not get its chances. But Bhutia was the culprit. He got three good chances. While he ballooned one over in haste, his diving header off a Dharamjit Singh cross from left just whizzed past the far upright, bringing about a sigh of relief from the HASC bench. But the worst miss came about when, of a square from the right by Barretto, Bhutia moved to his left and with only goalkeeper Gumpe at the far end, shot into the upright much to the chagrin of his teammates and fans.

HASC on the other hand did have its chances too, but the experienced Bagan backline of Dulal Biswas, Deepak Mondal, Sanjeen Maria and Brazilian Fabio Vidal gave nothing away. Kuttymani though did rifle a low shot in the 36th minute, but saw Dulal affect a goalline save with goalkeeper Sangram Mukheree caught on the wrong foot.

The tight marking did see a few frayed tempers surfacing and Bhutia too was not spared. Mohan Raj of HASC however was the lone player to get a yellow card from referee Benjamin Silva of Goa.

Bagan used all its substitutes to put on the pressure, a luxury HASC coach Krishnaji Rao did not have, but it came to nought. "It was just the right result we hoped for," said an elated Krishnaji Rao after the match.

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