Bagan edge past Tollygunge

Powered by an R C Prakash strike, defending champions Mohun Bagan pipped Tollygunge Aggragami 1-0 in a fifth National Football league match, in Calcutta, on Thursday.

Sporting new jerseys, resembling that of Italian football giants Juventus, Bagan took time to find their rhythm at the Salt Lake Stadium as their determined rivals endeavoured to match them in the opening session.

But the glamour outfit accelerated the tempo after the breather and scored the winner in the 58th minute to take their points tally to 28 from 15 outings.

Tollygunge are logged at the bottom of the 12-team league table with 14 points from 15 matches. Bagan's arch-rivals East Bengal are on top with 31 points from 14 matches.

Fed by the hardworking Basudeb Mondal, the in-form Prakash kept his cool to score from close, giving no chance to Tollygunge custodian Prashanta Dora, who otherwise had a good match.

Tollygunge, known for their defensive display, pleasantly surprised spectators by going into the attack from the outset and were distinctly unlucky not to have scored in the 34th minute. But Emeka Achilefu's header, following Sasthi Duley's swinging centre, hit the post, before being deflected out of harm's way by Bagan defender Amauri de Silva.

Bagan, who had the lion's share of exchanges in the match, could have won by a bigger margin had their strikers Prakash and Brazilian Jose Ramirez Baretto not squandered a number of gilt-edged opportunities.