The Hindu : Sport / Football : Yakubu's strikes sink Bagan

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Monday, Jan 15, 2007
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Yakubu's strikes sink Bagan

Special Correspondent

MUMBAI: Mahindra United scored a convincing 4-1 win over Mohun Bagan in the ONGC Cup 11th National Football League at the Cooperage here on Sunday.

Yusuf Yakubu, leading the home side, scored two goals and set up one each for Andrew Mensah and Abhishek Yadav. Baichung Bhutia had put Bagan ahead in the 17th minute, following a move initiated by Brazilian Jose Barreto. Bhutia, evading his marker, leapt above the defence and headed in a lob from the right. Barreto's vision and passing skills made the goal possible.

Bagan was expecting to build on the lead, but instead ended up defending desperately. Mahindra United's first goal came when Andrew, after escaping his marker, connected a Yakubu chip with a powerful header. Bagan goalkeeper Sangram Mukherjee, helpless on the goalline by the pace and precision of this Mahindra move, picked up the ball from the net three more times as the NFL champion moved in for the kill.

The weakness of the Bagan defence was exposed when Deepak Mondal's attempted clearance bounced in off the Mahindra skipper's body.

Mukherjee's nightmare continued. While diving to block a Surkumar Singh free-hit hit low through the legs of a defender, he saw Yakubu appear in front of him and tap the rebound into the net.

A penalty save by Mukherjee off Yakubu averted another. Substitute Yadav headed in the fourth, an easy conversion after another pinpoint lob from Yakubu from near the right post across the goal.

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