[Gulf Goans] Mahindra look to play villain

Tue, 25 Oct 2005 22:39:03 -0700

Mahindra look to play villain

Ankita Pandey
DNA
Tuesday, October 25, 2005  


 
 
 
 
 

MARGAO: It’s pay back time for Mahindra United in their semi-final match against Churchill Brothers’ on Wednesday in Alchemist Federation Cup at Margao.

Thanks to Churchill Alemao, the Goan club’s patron and a Congress MP, Mahindras are without their striker par excellence Yusif Yakubu from Ghana and mideo James Singh from Manipur.

Both players signed with Mahindra United this season after the expiry of their contracts with the Goan club. Fifteen minutes before the registration window for the Federation Cup closed, Churchill refused Yakubu’s No Objection Certificate (NOC) to the player. According to sources, Churchill wants a compensation of $ 5000 from Mahindras which they had paid Egyptian club Al Halil for Yakubu.

In case of James Singh, who sat out most of the season last year with injury, Churchill claim they spent over three lakhs on the player, without much participation from him. This incident has turned things sour between both the team officials. And when the two clubs meet on Wednesday, they would be playing for more than just a place in the finals.

Mahindra look the superior side, but Churchill have under their belt a win over big guns East Bengal in the quarter-finals. Added to that, the backing of a 10,000-strong partisan crowd could turn things in their favour. Freddy Mascarenhas, the premier striker has been in scintillating form and could cause problems for sometimes porous defense of Mahindras

“We are very confident of winning. Three key players, including Freddy Mascarenhas are under the weather but they should be fine by tomorrow. They will be in the starting line-up,” said Peter Rodrigues, coach, Churchill Brothers.

For Mahindras however, getting the goals hasn’t been a problem with Barretto up front. Venkatesh has played the role of playmaker to perfection. Steven Dias and Subhas Chakraborty have been outstanding in the flanks. N S Manju, their sturdy young defender has headed good goals at crucial times a la John Terry, should we say. The only thing of worry for coach Derrick Pereira would be complacency.

“We have been improving over the last couple of matches. But the defence needs to tighten a bit, especially since Churchill play good attacking football. Their strikers, particularly Freddy Mascarenhas could cause some problems,” said Pereira, after their rigorous training session on Tuesday.

If Mahindra, 2003 champions, manage to win this year too, they will be on course to their aim of winning all trophies of consequence this year. The question, however, is can Mumbai play villain in Goa?

(Daily News & Analysis)

 

- Forwarded by www.goa-world.com



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