East Bengal stay on course for title

S Ayyappa Swamy

Mahindra United need to spend a few hours watching East Bengal in action. Or, maybe, even Manchester United, their English namesake. For, if they have any inclinations of finishing higher than the seventh where they are currently languishing, the jeepmen need to show some irresistible hunger and not be satisfied with the ordinary dal-chawal daily diet. They have to aim for some exotic dishes. Only then will the points come.

Coach Shabbir Ali cannot complain now. Barring Tapon Ghosh, who has got a muscle tear in the thigh, and Virender Singh and S. Venkatesh, who are in the pre-World Cup national camp, everybody else is on their own feet. Yes, even M. Najeeb, currently the highest paid player in the country.

Against Vasco on Sunday, Mahindra had the luxury of benching two brilliant strikers Manjit Singh and Abbas Ali Rizvi as coach Shabbir started off with Raman Vijayan and Najeeb. Despite a decent start, the game inexplicably fell away and the endresult: a goalless draw.

Even 'young' Derrick Perreira, the coach who is on loan to Vasco from Salgaocar showed some imagination. The involvement of the Vasco -- who are sponsored by Arlem Breweries -- top bosses was evident as club president Vinod Parkkot came as manager and a host of others were on the stands. Not to be outdone, even Mahindra United executive director and president of the club Alan Durante too made his presence felt.

But it was Vasco who emerged smiling after the one point they got from the tie. They played an unusual 3-6-1 pattern with definite roles for certain players. The six men in the midfield were identified as markers and linkmen with one player given the free role of moving up in attack as well falling back whenever the need rose. Another player from the midfield would move into Bibian Fernandes’s --- the freewheeling player --- position when he moved up.

Meanwhile, in Calcutta, inaugural NFL champions Jagajit Cotton Textile Mills almost conjured up the impossible -- bearding Mohun Bagan in their own den. Last week, they allowed East Bengal escape with a draw and this time it was the turn of the defending champions.

At the break JCT were leading 2-0 with two brilliant goals by Sukhjit Singh and Hardeep Gill but it was only the inexperience and lack of maturity on part of the players that saw Mohun Bagan come back with goals from Lolendro Singh and Amar Ganguly. Significantly, Jose Barretto had to sit out this match after two yellow cards.

East Bengal are certainly conducting themselves as champions-in-waiting. They have been the most consistent team in the short history of the NFL. Top three finishes in the first three years and a seventh place last year. But the fifth edition is theirs for the asking, barring, of course, any unforeseen circumstances.

Air-India gave them pound for pound in an engrossing first half at Calcutta. But the red and golden brigade came back roaring with two goals in the second half. Coach Manoranjan Bhattacharjee's double substitutions of Srikanta Dutta and Carlton Chapman worked as both struck goals to give the Calcutta side a deserving win.

Not that Air-India deserved to lose, but as things stand, the desi side will be left to fight for the cellar spots. Currently, Air-India, who are on 14 points and ninth, have lost the maximum number of matches -- nine.

Talking about losses, even Salgaocar are edging closer to the bottom teams, not points-wise but for the number of defeats they have registered -- seven. But the difference is the periodic victories they are picking up, seven in all.

Last week it was the turn for a loss, however, when FC Kochin beat them 2-1 at Kochi. The three points they earned, took Kochin on par with Mohun Bagan and also arrested a three-match losing streak. There was nothing unusual when goalkeeper Sunday Seah shed his garb and donned a normal jersey to score both goals.

Salgaocar too are going through tough times. They have lost three players to the camp, one has been sacked and two are injured. And Central Railway's Adel Ansari, who they are trying to get on lien as per new All India Football Federation rules, is not being released due to some idiosyncrasies of some particular officials.

In the fifth match of this 17th round round, State Bank of Travancore drew 1-1 with Indian Telephone Industries at Thiruvananthapuram.

Churchill and Tollygunge Aggragami did not play any matches in the last week.

Best goal: Falgunni Dutta’s stunning 20-yarder for East Bengal against Air-India, at Calcutta.

Best match: Mohun Bagan drawing 2-2 with JCT, at Calcutta.

Disappointment: Mahindra United and Vasco involved in an insipid draw, at Bombay.

Great Escape: Mohun Bagan scoring twice after trailing 0-2 and earning a draw against JCT, at Calcutta.

Results of the 17th round:

Mohun Bagan drew with Air-India 2-2, at Calcutta
SBT drew with ITI 1-1, at Thiruvananthapuram
East Bengal beat Air-India 3-1, at Calcutta
FC Kochin beat Salgaocar 2-1, at Kochi
Mahindra United drew with Vasco 0-0, at Bombay

Coming matches:
April 4: Mohun Bagan vs FC Kochin, at Calcutta
April 5: East Bengal vs Tollygunge Aggragami, at Calcutta
April 6: JCT vs SBT, at Ludhiana
April 8: Salgaocar vs Churchill Brothers, at Goa
April 9: Tollygunge vs ITI, at Calcutta

Related reports:
FC Kochin lead National Football League race
F C Kochin stay ahead
Salgaocar close in on early leaders
Mohun Bagan well-placed after five rounds
Air India, Mahindra in a spot - Summary of Round 6
East Bengal high in the saddle - Summary of Round 7
East Bengal on top for second week - Summary of Round 8
Three in close race - Summary of Round 9
Prakash's hat-trick high point of Round 10
Bungo Singh, R C Prakash steal the limelight
F C Kochin stay unbeaten, but just about
Upsets aplenty in Round 13 of NFL
ITI win 14th round honours
East Bengal widen lead at the top
Mahindra United made the best of disjointed FC Kochin