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Md Sp eliminated, but players are relieved; EB bow out

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Posted: Mar 04, 2008 at 0137 hrs IST

Kolkata, March 3 The Mohammedan Sporting team, despite getting eliminated from the IFA Shield this season following today’s 2-0 defeat against I-League runners-up Churchill Brothers at Barasat Stadium, appears a relieved lot after an exhausting two-week phase of back-breaking action. The players had to take part in eight matches over the past fortnight.

Despite the elimination, the team’s senior players like Basudeb Mondal, Mike Okoro and Jyothi Kumar made no bones of the fact that they are relieved more than anything else. Said Mondal, after the day’s play: “Our performance was mediocre in today’s match. We applied pressure on our fancied opponents throughout the match, and we were able to create chances that could not be converted.”

However, looking forward to the first phase of I-League qualifiers, which will commence on March 25 in Guwahati, Mondal feels that the team should change its strategy of playing five defenders and single striker formation.

“I feel our experienced coach will change the tactics and play with a double striker upfront from now on. And then only we will be able to display some sharpness in our attacks. Otherwise, Okoro is easily getting trapped by the opposition defenders while moving up, as he is not getting good enough support during the team’s attacking moves.” Coach Shabbir Ali has given his boys some much needed rest for the next five days before beginning preparations for the I-League qualifiers. Incidentally, Ogba Kalou and Jason Vales scored for Churchill Brothers today. Both the goals were scored after the break.

In another bad day in office for Kolkata football, East Bengal bowed out of the IFA Shield with a 1-1 draw against South African premier side Santos FC at Howrah Corporation Municipal Stadium today.

Santos FC took the lead in the match, but Edmilson Marques restored parity for East Bengal converting a spot-kick. The red-and-gold brigade would have earned qualification for the semi-final round if the team had won at least by a margin of three goals in today’s crucial match, which was anyway an unlikely proposition.

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