The Hindu : Sport / Football : Bagan stays in the hunt

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Apr 25, 2007
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Sport - Football

Bagan stays in the hunt

Amitabha Das Sharma

KOLKATA: Mohun Bagan continued its quest for an AFC Cup quarterfinal berth defeating the Thai side Osotspa M-150 FC by a solitary goal in a fourth-round Group F football league match at the Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday.

Jose Rameirez Barreto, the most expensive recruit and captain, netted the winner in the 43rd minute to ensure full three points for the home side.

The win helped Bagan stay in the hunt for group's top spot, bagging eight points from two wins and two draws. Though the Singapore Club Tampines Rovers maintained its position as the group leader (with 10 points from four matches) beating Pahang FC of Malaysia at its home ground on the same day, Bagan can still make it, if it can carry on in the same way in the two remaining matches.

Barreto gave some direction to an aimless Bagan display in the first session. The Brazilian found the target with an angular left-footer after getting through to a midfield floater by Mehtab Hussain.

Initiative

Needing a win to stay in the contest, Osotspa showed greater initiative, but its forwards struggled to create openings.

The visitor's approach did not change after the break, thus helping the home side to hang on its loan-goal lead. Bagan defence held up the stray Osotspa attacks with D. Ravanan — later declared the McDowell Celebration man-of-the-match — and Brazilian Douglas Da Silva doing their job well.

Ravanan played well in the absence of injured stopper-back Dipak Mondal and also made a goalline save to foil a Jaihan Kittisak attempt. Just as the action drew towards the end, Bagan substitute P. Lalawmpuia came close to doubling the lead, but the left-footed angular shot went inches off the target.

Mohun Bagan next travels to Singapore to play Tampines Rovers on May 8. The match will virtually decide the group standings.

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