Bagan win with quick goals

Former champions Mohun Bagan began their campaign in the sixth National Football League with a 2-0 victory over their Kolkata mates Tollygunge Aggragami at the Salt Lake stadium, in Kolkata, on Thursday.

The glamour club struck twice in a span of three minutes, through striker Abdulateef Seriki and medio James Singh early in the second session, to seal the fate of their opponents in a match which seldom rose to great heights.

Bagan, who won the coveted league title twice in 1997-98 and 99-2000, were a pale shadow of themselves in the opening session but managed to raise their game in the second half and change the complexion of the match.

After a barren opening session, the local giants shot into the lead in the 47th minute, when striker Seriki found the target with a brilliant header, giving no chance at all to rival custodian Sandip Nandy.

The goal-bound move was initiated by the hardworking James Singh, who provided a through pass to Jose Barreto, who broke through the defence and sent a measured centre towards Seriki. The last-named showed good reflexs to head home from inside the box.

Even before the celebrations died down in the galleries, Bagan consolidated their position three minutes later as James Singh found the mark after being put through by Barreto.

Other matches of day 2:
HAL hold Vasco
Mahindra United-ITI draw

Earlier reports:

Day 1:
Salgaocar take full points from NFL opener
East Bengal rout Punjab Police

National Football League summary