JCT, E Bengal in semis

Jagajit Cotton Textile Mills, Phagwara, edged past East Bengal 3-2 to move into the semi-finals in the Under-19 National Football League, in Kolkata, on Saturday.

East Bengal too made it to the last four stage, edging past Tollygunge Agragami on better goal difference in Group 'B'.

Tollygunge registered a convincing 2-0 win over Indian Bank in another match but the margin of victory was not enough to take them to the semi-finals.

While JCT topped the table with seven points from three outings, East Bengal and Tollygunge logged four points each. Indian Bank could manage just a point.

JCT took an early lead against East Bengal as Surinder Singh, who scored a brace, netted from close in the fifth minute, at the East Bengal ground.

Joginder Singh increased the scoreline to 2-0 in the 22nd minute but Kingshuk Debnath reduced the margin for the local side six minutes before the breather.

East Bengal, striving to stage a comeback, restored parity through Arindam Saha in the 54th minute but Surinder's second strike, in the 69th minute, proved decisive.

The Tollygunge-Indian Bank encounter was marked by a lacklustre display by both teams in the opening session as neither could break the ice before the lemon break.

Tollygunge, however, stepped up their attack in the second-half and reaped rich dividend as Mriganka Sharma and Suman Dutta found the target in the 60th and 67th minutes respectively.

Mahindra United drub Churchill

Scoring twice in each half, Mahindra United scored an impressive 4-1 victory over Churchill Brothers in a Group 'A' Under-19 National Football League match in Goa on Saturday.

Muneer Shaikh (20th minute), Anil Pawar (25th), Mohammed Khan (48th) and Agnelo Francis (69th) scored for Mahindra, while the lone goal for Churchill was scored by Kingsley B D'Costa.

Following the victory, Mahindra, who are on par with Dempo with four points from two matches, move to second place on better goal difference of plus-three against the latter's plus-one.

Salgaocar are leading the table with six points.

Churchill Brothers, who lost their second successive match, are virtually out of contention for a berth in the semi-finals.

Mahindra could have won by a bigger margin had it not been for 'keeper Agnelo Barreto, who bought off smart saves.

Dominating throughout, Mahindra took the lead in the 20th minute after referee Sashi Kumar penalised keeper Barreto for time wasting inside the box. Sajid Ansari, who took the free-kick, saw his shot blocked by Agnelo. The rebound came to Muneer Sheikh, who tapped in from close.

Five minutes later, Mahindra increased the lead with a fine move from the left. Agnelo Francis, who worked his way on the left, sent a cross into the box for Shaikh, who sold a dummy to Anil Pawar to do the rest.

Changing over, Mahindra went three up in the third minute of the second-half, when Mohammed Khan beat the off-sde trap and scored following Shanwaz Ansari's pass.

Churchill, making occassional forays into rival field, reduced the margin in the 63rd minute, when Kingsley B D'Costa scored after keeper Bangera blocked a fierce shot from Queterio Pango.

Francis completed the rout when he beat another off-side trap to score the fourth goal.