Sterile Bagan tease, tweak and tantalize Tampines

Kolkata, Mar 6 (UNI) Mohun Bagan did everything but bag full points in their first group league match of the AFC Cup against Tampines Rovers of Singapore at the Salt Lake stadium here today.

The injury hit Kolkata giants put up a spirited display and dominated the visitors for a greater part of the match, but poor finish let the green maroons down.

The Singapore team started off menacingly, with ace striker Mohammed Noh Alam Shah's header in the ninth minute narrowly missing the target. But the Asean Cup top scorer limped off the pitch in the 36th minute, following a groin strain. This nullified the advantage and Bagan romped back into the match.

Mohun Bagan midfield played a fine game and Douglas da Silva, playing his first match for the green-and-maroon brigade, essayed a few defence-splitting passes. With Lalkamal Bhowmick and young Rahul Kumar troubling the Tampines defence with their sudden burst of pace, it seemed a goal was inevitable. But it proved to be a mirage.

Kumar could have put the home side ahead in the 52nd minute, but he scooped the ball over the top right hand corner.

Manas Das also wasted a gilt edged opportunity in the 66th minute after an Anit Ghosh through from the central midfield had split the Tampines defence wide open.

Eight minutes later, PC Lalwampuya unleashed a thundering right footer only to be denied by the woodwork.

Another youngster who benefited from coach Cheema Okorie's policy of backing the young brigade was custodian Shilton Paul. He came good in the 75th minute tipping out a floater from Brazilian playmaker Peres de Oliveira.

The visitors lost medio Sulee Suksomit at the fag end of the match, after he picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Mehtab Hussain. Suksomit was booked earlier in the 49th minute for an infringement on Das.

Though a depleted Mohun Bagan left the field with a draw, a lot was left to be desired from Mr Okorie, who left senior striker Dipendu Biswas warming the bench. Incidentally Dippendu was more regular on target than either Barreto or Baichung.

Teams: Mohun Bagan: Shilton Paul, Manas Das (Dulal Biswas, 78), Deepak Mondal, Anit Ghosh, Lalkamal Bhowmick, Mehtab Hussain, Sushil Singh, PC Lalwampuya, Rahul Kumar, Suman Dutta and Douglas da Silva.

Tampines Rovers: Mohamed Hassan Rezal, Muhammad Ridhuan (Kim Tan Leng, 68), Mohamad Nasir Nazir, Mohammed Noh Alam Shah (Aliff Shafaein, 36), Peres de Oliviera, Mirko Grabovac (Shahdan Sulaiman, 90), Zulkarnaen Zainal, Sulee Suksomit, Santi Chaiyaphuak, Fahruddin Mustafic and Mohamed Rafi.

Referee: Mr Minh Vo Tri (Vietnam).

UNI