Mumbai champions Mahindra United scored once in each half to beat Indian Bank, Chennai, 2-0 in the Coca Cola eighth National Football League at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Monday.
In a match confined mostly to mid-field exchanges, Mahindra made the first good move in the 20th minute but winger Steven Dias failed to make the best of a good cross from Abhishek Yadav.
Soon after Yadav's feeble header off a long lob from the middle went straight into the hands of Indian Bank custodian Sebastian Netto.
However, in the 30th minute, Yadav made amends when he headed home mid-fielder Rauf Khan's flag-kick. The ball brushed Bank winger Fazlur Rahman's legs before entering the goal.
Mahindra's speedy winger S Venkatesh rounded off the tally when he lobbed the ball over an advancing Netto following a pass from Dias in the 53rd minute.
Mahindra, who have 23 points from 12 matches, could scored a couple of goals more but for Netto, who effected two good saves.
In the 85th minute Yadav's try was well-saved by Netto and soon after he did well to punch over another Yadav attempt.
The jeepmen made three substitutions, bringing in Falguni Dutta for defender Sanjay Parte in the 60th minute, L James Singh for Steven Dias in the 66th minute and Syed Altafuddin for winger Felix Aboagye in the 75th minute.
The bankmen have just two points from 12 outings.
Photograph: Jewella C Miranda
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