The match came alive in the second half, after mild derision at half-time greeted the much-touted Iranians with four World Cuppers in their ranks.

For Mumbai fans, the evening brought much to cheer after Mahindras got off to a flying start in Group C in the afternoon with a 2-1 victory over State Bank of Travancore.

If the Iranians and railwaymen played out a barren match in Group B, the calibre of their goalkeepers must be blamed -- or praised -- and either coach were not in doubt about who their heroes were.

After Khanolkar leapt sideways, to palm away threats by Naeim Sadavi and a free-kick by skipper Abbas Sarkhab with only a quarter of an hour to go, Iranian 'keeper Bhrouz Zahedi salvaged his side a valuable point, blocking andcollecting a 25-yard stinger by Arshad Ansari well into injury time.

Irenio Vaz, the phlegmatic coach of Central Railway, chose his words about Khanolkar: ``He showed us tonight what goalkeeping is all about. To grab the ball when it is well out of reach ... Khanolkar did just that.''

The result vindicated Vaz's faith in his team and tactics as he reflected on a planned strategy that relied on controlling the game through short passing and effecting the quick break. Numerous such sequences delighted the large crowd, seemingly unperturbed by the absence of Calcutta teams East Bengal and Mohun Bagan.

Vaz's opposite number, Majid Salimpour the 1978 World Cupper, praised both sides for dishing out good fare but had misgivings on the officiating. He said: ``Your referee and linesmen were not working in a co-ordinated manner. My team found it tough.''

Salimpour, like all other teams here, has found the ball used in the competition unsuitable and hopes to procure a `standard' ball in the days to come todemonstrate its efficacy to the organisers.

The Iranians, according to their coach, also found the ground far different from the soft grass surface at home and had problems adjusting to conditions during their first trip to India.

Surely enough, the Iranians seemed to shape apprehensively in the first half as Central took the initiative to attack mainly through strikers Asif Jamal, Arshad Ansari and the skillful Arif Ansari in the mid-field.

The Central attack rocked the Iranian citadel on four occasions in the first 20 minutes of play while restricting the visitors to their first serious chance in the 29th minute when a diagonal from mid-fielder Imam Alemi just eluded Abdol Rez Malahzadeh.

The Iranians changed character and technique in the second half and turning offensive, went for shots at the nearest opportunity -- Sarkhab, substitute Mehershad Bharami and Naeim Sadavi, attempting the shortest route to goal.

The match always held promise even as the minutes rapidly ticked away but thecustodians on either side held firm.

Mahindras tame SBT again

Mahindras shot into the lead through Satish Minz who found the net with a fine 25-yard volley in the 18th minute. The local side consolidated in the 65th minute when substitute Santosh Kashyap's corner had goalkeeper Jaya Kumar faltering. A failed attempt to clear over the bar had PJ Jose heading home from close to make it 2-0 and put Mahindras on the road to their third successive win over the southern bankmen after successes in New Delhi recently.

The bankmen came back into the contest in the 83rd minute when Lanel Thomas converted a penalty after defender Rajesh Pandey handled the ball.