By IANS
Kolkata : East Bengal’s dismal form continued as they were beaten 2-0 by Mahindra United in the IFA Shield Saturday, while Dhaka Mohameddan Sporting and Churchill Brothers finished with a goalless draw.
Playing in Barasat on the outskirts of the state capital, the red and gold outfit showed flashes of brilliance early in the first half before they were bulldozed into defending by the Mumbai outfit.
In the space of half an hour Mahindra toyed with the East Bengal defence and forced five corners in a row. A goal looked imminent and it came as Yusuf Yakubu pulled stoppers Majek Bolaji and Anupam Sarkar aside and flicked the ball to Md Rafi. All Rafi had to do was beat the goalkeeper.
The second goal was the result of a horrendous defensive lapse.
Edward Menza and Yakubu had a passing bout before the ball was relayed to Rafi who overlapped into the rival defence with Surkumar Singh nowhere in sight. Then he sent a measured centre that saw Yakubu volleying home.
To make matters worse Bolaji, who was injured, was first substituted with Meherajuddin Wadoo. But the player was all at sea as a stopper and in the second half Edmilson had to make way for M. Suresh to bolster the defence.
In another match played in Howrah Municipal Stadium, Dhaka Mohameddan Sporting and Churchill Brothers played a goalless game.