Formidable Mahindra United staged a late recovery to salvage a 2-2 draw against a determined Salgaocar, Goa [ Images ] in an evenly contested 10th ONGC [ Get Quote ] National Football League match at the Cooperage ground in Mumbai [ Images ] on Monday.

After coming close to scoring within the first five minutes, Mahindra struck in the seventh minute when Yusif Yakubu headed home a cross from right winger Steven Dias.

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Yakubu made amends after seeing an earlier try being fisted out by Salgaocar custodian Juje Siddi, just before an unmarked Jose Barretto headed wide off a Dias free-kick.

But Salgaocar ignored the early pressure and equalised in the 18th minute through striker Samson Singh who finished a neat pass from Brazilian forward Fabio Dos Passos.

The Goan side returned after the half-time to dominate the early part of the second half and were rewarded in the 53rd minute when 'Man of the Match' Jyothi Kumar put them ahead off a long shot from the right.

Kumar intended to centre the ball for Fabio but it deflected in off a defender and surprised the otherwise efficient Mahindra goalkeeper Sandip Nandy, who only a minute earlier effected a brilliant save off a Fabio free-kick just outside the box.

Desperate to prevent a loss, Mahindra pressed hard for the equaliser and came up with significant moves that went abegging. Among them was a 64th minute Barretto flick to the goal mouth that caused a skirmish but Dias and Yakubu fumbled in a crowded defence before the ball was cleared.