Sourav Gagnuly shines in football too

Kolkata : East Bengal set up a title clash with Mohun Bagan after they edged past fighting Mohammedan Sporting 1-0 in the second semifinal play of the Platinum Jubilee Cup at Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Friday night.

Sanju Pradhan shot home from a penalty kick in the stoppage time when refree Rathin Mukherjee awarded the spot kick after Mohammedan Sporting’s defender Sanjib Maria fouled Saikat in the danger zone.

Earlier in the same ground Mohun Bagan pipped Sheffield Football Club (London) 1-0 in the first match of the four-team championship, being organised by Md Sporting to mark their first win of Calcutta Football Leauge in 1934.

Ashim Biswas did the final job for Mohun Bagan capitalising a corner from Snehashish Chakraborty in the stoppage time to enter the
first team for the final to be held on Sunday.

Md Sporting led by former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly entralled the crowds in the flood light play as his a right footed volley was best effort for the side in the first half against the Federation Cup winners East Bengal.

Ganguly wearing shirt No 99 was the main star of the game as he showed his footballing technique was no less than any regular players of soccer star during his first sixty minute stay.

Md Sporting fielded some players borrowed from other clubs had supremacy in the game as Joshimar and Denson Devdasa were looked devastating.

Md Sporting created most of the raids but luck did not favour them.

As the fourth refree signalled two mintues stoppage time play, Md Sporting’s defender Sanjib Maria did a fatal mistake tripping Saikat
in the danger area.

Md Sporting players protested for giving penalty kick but the referee stood to his decision and Sanju Pradhan did all that matter in a game defeating substitute goalkeeper Priyant Singh.

This was East Bengal first win after they defeated 0-1 to Chirag United in the semifinal tie in Durand Cup.