Local giants Mahindra United wasted chances galore, but were still too strong for Kolkata's Mohammedan Sporting to carve out a 2-0 victory in the National Football League encouter at the Cooperage ground in Mumbai on Monday.
Man of the match Steven Dias, who gave a stand-out performance on the right wing, put league leaders Mahindras ahead in the 29th minute of play by slotting home from close range after getting the ball in a goalmouth melee.
Then the local team squandered many opportunities to seal Mohammedans' fate much before prodigal Ghanaian forward Yusif Yukubu finally scored by firing in a rebound off a defender's leg from well inside the box at the fag end of the match.
Yukubu had earlier been guilty of missing gilt-edged chances, including an open goal a minute after his team had taken the lead in the first half, and showed some rare streak of selfishness that cost MU at least a couple of more goals.
Yakubu made superb moves by both Dias and Brazilian Jose Barretto come to nought with thoughtless dribbling before finally making amends for his shoddy display earlier by scoring Mahindras' last goal in the 86th minute.
The Kolkata team, for whom goalkeeper Gopal Das stood out by making countless saves, had their chances - especially in the second half - but lack of a good striker cost them dear.
It was the unbeaten Mahindra United's sixth victory in the ten-team league which took their points tally to 19 from seven ties while Mohammedans remained on ten points from eight matches.
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