CHENNAI, Jan 17: Mahindra & Mahindra were unlucky to finish on the wrong end of the scoreline for the sixth straight time at the Nehru Stadium here today.The bankmen's 2-0 win came much against the trend of play, riding on a piece of luck late in the second half, when substitute Syed Minhajul Islam's first feel of the ball off Hamilton Bobby's curling free-kick found an empty net after custodian Mark Mascarenhas and defender Rajesh Pandey had failed to clear. The second blow came on the stroke of the hooter, when Pasha angled the carpeted drive to the second post with a patent left-footer.ITI hold East BengalBangalore: Underdogs Indian Telephone Industries kept their chances in the third edition of the National Football League alive by holding fancied East Bengal to a goalless draw here today. Egged on by a partisan Sunday crowd, ITI capitalised on an out of form East Bengal combination to salvage a point, to take their tally to four from three matches. The Calcutta side have five points afterthree.Kochi, Salgaocar split pointsKollam: Kerala state league champion FC Kochin did well to hold fancied Salgaocar Sports Club, Goa, to a 2-2 draw, and split points at the Lal Bahadur Stadium here tonight. Contrary to expectations, the Kochin side gave a sprited display against their fancied rivals and made best use of their experience in the ground for the last five days, where they had been practising while the Goan outfit took time to adjust to the turf.Dempo desperateCALCUTTA: Dempo, coached by TK Chathunni, had hoped to collect at least four points from their two away matches here. With defending champions Mohun Bagan as their opponents tomorrow, Dempo will consider themselves lucky if they leave the city with one point.Bagan themselves have suffered two jolts already, draws against JCT and Churchill Brothers.Air-India the underdogsMARGAO: Losses - three in a row - have left Air-India the underdogs on the eve of their Coca-Cola NFL Group A tie againstChurchill Brothers here tomorrow.Churchill have managed to play it safe, drawing all encounters to tally three points. An optimistic Bimal Ghosh, Air-India coach, said, ``We have always had an easy time against Churchill.'' anny McLennan, the Churchill coach, has sought the services of Jose Martins of Portugal to strengthen his attack.
