| Bangalore, July 25, DHNS: | |
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Madras Engineer Group strolled past BEML FC 2-0 to clinch the BDFA Super Division League title in emphatic fashion at the Bangalore Football Stadium here on Monday. |
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 Going
into the game needing just a draw, after Hindustan Aeronautics Sports
Club could only pick up one point in their match against Karnataka State
Police earlier in the day, the Armymen barely put a foot wrong and
pretty much sealed the tie in the first 45 minutes. Ramu V scored the
opening goal in the 10th minute before Vineeth made it 2-0 seven minutes
from halftime.MEG, who have a match left to play, are in an impregnable position with 28 points from ten matches while ASC are six points behind in second position. Defending champion HASC have 17 points from nine games with each team playing a maximum of eleven matches. “This feels really great. The title was our target right from the start and I’m thrilled to have achieved it,” SP Shaji, MEG coach, said. “Now we can look forward to participating in next year’s I-League II Division and hope to carry on the form,” he added. Right from the opening whistle, MEG looked every bit like the team that has dominated and gone unbeaten in the the league this year, controlling possession and constantly threatening the BEML goal. The deserved and expected opener came in the tenth minute. A corner from Vineeth to the far post was headed back cleverly by Nguernilal Hmar to Ramu who headed it into the back of the net from five yards out. The goal was roundly celebrated by a partisan MEG crowd, knowing that the title was as good as theirs. If any doubts lingered, it was put to bed in the 37th when midfielder Vineeth, who had an outstanding game, made a searing run down the left, leaving two BEML defenders for dead and slotted the ball calmly past goalkeeper Edwin with the outside of his right foot. Lokeshwar Singh could have swelled the lead further but missed the target by inches, having beaten the goalkeeper just before half-time. The second half was academic with BEML hardly threatening and MEG happy to move the ball around and control the pace of the game as they comfortably held on for their first title triumph since 2007. In the earlier match, Pradeep Kumar’s equaliser from the penalty spot ended HASC’s title hopes. Malemngamba Meitei opened the scoring for the Aircraftmen in the 17th minute, but Pradeep’s strike in the 65th, after a handball by defender R Karthik, ensured a share of the spoils. Other result: ‘B’ Division: Universal: 2 (Murthy 42nd, Sunder 44th) bt Minerva: 1 (Jiten Haldar 33rd). |
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