Balin earns draw for RCF

href="https://www.financialexpress.com/auto/new-cars/mahindra/" class="" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Mahindra engagements, finally did himself and his team justice. He sent in a long aerial from near the half-line which found Herbert Philip lurking around the post. All Philip had to do was to put the ball in, which he duly achieved.

Balin’s goal in the 80th minute was stunning. Nobody moved, not even the goalkeeper, as the ball went around the wall into the far corner of the goal.

Mahindras’ Santosh Kashyap got into the act three minutes later, inspired by Balin’s effort. But his free-kick hit the bar and went out.

Both teams struggled on an uneven ground, playing more on the mid-field. There were few forays into the danger area and fewer chances for either team to score.

In the eighth minute, Siddique found himself in front of the goal, holding on to a Philip pass, with the goalkeeper and a defender in front. He, however, chose to hit out.

Mahindras’ Sushanta Majumdar had a good match, creating many opportunities, controlling the mid-field competently. But when he had a chance to score, he failed. He was too far away near the sideline to make any use of a Kashyap pass. Majumdar later tried a long shot from 25-yards but the ball sailed over the bar. He was forced to leave the field in the 83rd minute, with a painful stomach.

RCF threatened goalkeeper Gumpe Rime just once in the 44th minute. Ratan Singh and Doughlas D’Sena combined well on the left to launch an attack. Ratan’s cross was too low for Deepak Kedare to head in front of the net.

And almost immediately after, D’Sena couldn’t negotiate the slush and lost his balance before he could do anything about Ratan’s second consecutive pass.