Mahindra rallies splendidly to edge out 10 men JCT 2-1 Margao, Jan 20 (UNI): A last minute goal by Brazilian Jose Ramirez Barretto enabled Federation Cup Champions Mahindra United, Mumbai, to edge out ten-member former champions JCT mills, Phagwara, by 2-1 and gained full points in the 10th ONGC National Football league championship match at Nehru stadium Fatorda today.
For Mahindra, goals came through K Ajayan in the 69th minute and Jose Barretto in the 89th minute. Lone goal for JCT came through Pravin Kumar in the 20th minute. With today's win Mahindra climb to the top of the table with 7 points from two wins and a draw, relegating Sporting club de Goa to second place at 5 points from equal number of matches. JCT remained on same two points from equal number of matches. Mahindra's K. Ajayan was today adjudged the man of the match. Mahindra began with full steam for first ten minutes with good moves from Jose Bareetto and Yakubu Yusif, but JCT'S goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey brought smart saves on both the occasion. Then JCT took over accelerating the pace of their game and shot into the lead as early as in the 20th minute through Pravin Kumar, who neatly headed in a free kick pass received from Renedy Singh.1-0. Inspired by a lead, JCT continued to attack and could have increased their lead but Johnson squandered a couple of good chances. In the 25th minute, Johnson failed to net a header off a cross pass from Pravin Kumar, which went wide. Then in the next minute Johnson header crashed into the frame work and wasted. Mahindra had a golden opportunity to equalise in the 29th minute of the first half when referee Benjamin D'Silva awarded a penalty to Jeepmen when JCT's defender Jaspal Singh desperately handle the ball in the danger zone entering into the goal off a yakubu Yusif header off a cross pass James Singh. Yakubu Yusif, who took a spot kick failed to convert it and saw shot wide and Mahindra were deprived by an eqaliser. JCT were reduced to ten men when Refree Bejamin flashed a red card against its defender Jaspal Singh for handling the ball. At half time JCT were leading by 1-0. Mahindra regrouped themselves well and came with a fine move in the 60th minute from Yakubu Yusif whose power packed 25 yarder shoot was well saved by JCT's Kalyan Chaubey. Mahindra equalized in the 69th minute through K Ayayan, with his powerful 30 yard shot which found the far corner of the net giving no chance to rival goalkeeper to level the match.
