Mahindra drub BSF 4-1 in Durand Cup

New Delhi:

Mumbai's Mahindra United, top rankers in the National Football League, began their campaign in the Durand Cup with a bang defeating BSF, Jallandhar 4-1 in a Group "C" quarterfinal league match here today. Earlier, an under-19 AIFF team, seeded directly to the last eight stage in their first appearance lost to Army XI 3-5 in a Group D quarterfinal. Despite the win, Army XI, who lost to Goa's Zee Churchill 1-2 in their earlier match in three-team group, were out of the championship. Zee Churchill will need only a draw against the Under-19 side in their match to make it to the semifinals. Backed by a strong midfield and with four Nigerians Musa, Oparanozie, Okolo and Usman in their ranks, the Mumbai outfit throughly outplayed BSF with a fast-paced game and superior skill, leading 3-1 at half time. For Mahindras, Jules Alberto Dias, Bala Usman, Raman Vijyan and substitute S Venkatesh struck while Santosh Kajur netted the lone reducer for Army XI. On the other hand, the under-19 side, regarded as a preparatory for the Indian team for the Group four matches of the Asian Under-20 Football Championship to be held here in July, had an unimpressive display today and succumbed to the army men despite leading 2-1 at the breather. (PTI)