Bagan wrest past ONGC

Bagan seemed to have started off from where they had left against Mohd. Sp. in the CFL. 90 mins of listless football and then 30 mins of Extra time, that is what it took the star studded Bagan side to go past ONGC.

Bagan started off pretty well though with Venkatesh missing 5 chances of within the openening 10 mins. Though Bagan pressed on they could not create enough chances and Rajat Ghoshdastidar was a hard nut to crack under the ONGC bar. The Barreto-Bhaichung combination also seemed impontent as clearly Bhaichung needs to work with the team.

An uncharacteristic error from Rajat saw Bagan winning a corner on the 32nd minute. Lalkamal took a poor low corner aiming an ONGC defender, who in his attempt to clear miscued the ball into the goal. A pretty hard goal to score though from that angle. Bagan 1-0 up on the 32nd minute.

ONGC stepped on the gas and Bagan socked on the attacks spear-headed by Tarif Ahmed, the Indian striker, for the rest of the half with occasional Bagan attacks.

The Second Half saw no difference in Bagan's approach as aimless football ensued from both the teams.

The game more or less was based on unproductive penetrations by the Bagan players and ONGC's counter attacks being foiled by Odafe and Siddique.

Gaffari seemed to have found a groove in the team as a role of a playmaker as well as blocker taking a lot of load in the midfield and thus facilitating Ventakesh to move up and play 3 strikers for Bagan.

On the 61st minute Bagan made a twin substution as Dharamjit and Lalkamal was brought out and Ishfaq Ahmed and James Singh was introduced. The inclusion of these fresh pairs of legs made no diffrence as Bagan just did not look like scoring a goal.

Taking the advantage, the ONGC midfield made a penetrative pass to Jatin Singh Bhisht on the roght flank, who moving inwards let fly a left footer from out side the box the scorcher found the back of the net after passing under Sangram's armpits. 1-1, 81st minute.

The deadlock continued for the next 10 minutes and thus ensuring the first extra time play of the tournament this time.

The first 15 mins saw Bagan on the attack with Bhaichung Bhutia with a stunning back volley which missed the goal by a whisker.

The second half of extra time saw Bagan go through to the next round. Barreto made a patent move on the left flank as he dodged past the ONGC defender who tackled him only to give Bagan a free kick just outside the penalty box on the lft flank. James placed a inswinging lob which Barreto headed home. Bagan put in the winner and after the goal the match continued as aimless as earlier.

Bagan play their next Match against Viva Kerala on the 9th. Last time Bagan met Viva Kerala was in the last Fed Cup and Bagan dumped Viva Kerala 4-1.

Team: Sangram, Habibur[Lalawm], Siddique, Odafe, Rauf, Dharamjit[Isfaq], Gaffari, Venkatesh, Lalkamal[James], Barreto, Baichung(C)