66th Santosh Trophy - Day 9: Bengal out as Maharashtra, Goa & Manipur win

The 66th edition of the National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy on its ninth day today played matches in Group A and B of the Quarterfinal League in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. The defending champions West Bengal are out after a goalless draw against Kerala.

Champions West Bengal played a goalless draw against Kerala in their second Group A Quarterfinal League match at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. The 31-time record champions, who had lost to Maharashtra in their opener, desperately went out for a win but weren't successful. Kerala moved to four points from two matches and a chance to still progress while West Bengal are on one point from two matches.

In the day's other Group A match, Maharashtra rode on Kailash Patil's hattrick to rout Punjab 5-0. Vijith Shetty had put Maharashtra in the lead as early as the 7th minute before striker Patil scored in the 29th, 71st and the 83rd minute. Reuben D'Souza completed the rout in the 88th minute. Maharashtra after their second win are top of the group with six points matches while Punjab are yet to open their account and are out of the tournament.

In a Group B Quarterfinal League match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar strong title contenders Goa scraped past Meghalaya 2-1. Sachin Gawas put Goa in the lead in the 57th minute only for Bansharai Sun to restore parity in the 70th minute. But Gabriel Fernandes would win it in the 87th minute for Goa, who move to six points from two matches while Meghalaya are yet to open their account.

In another Group B match Manipur pumped in half-a-dozen goals against a hapless Uttar Pradesh. L. Chaothoiba Singh scored four goals (32nd, 53rd, 65th and 68th) while Kh. Thoi Singh and Kh.Naoton Singh scored one apiece in the 78th and 92nd minute respectively. Manipur stay at the top of Group B with six points from two matches while Uttar Pradesh stay at the bottom without a point.


Day Nine Results

Group-A - Cuttack
20-May-2012: Kerala 0-0 West Bengal
20-May-2012: Maharashtra 5-0 Punjab
[7 Vijith Shetty, 29,71,83 Kailash Patil, 88 Reuben D'Souza]

Group-B - Bhubaneswar
20-May-2012: Meghalaya 1-2 Goa
[M: 70 Bansharai Sun; G: 57 Sachin Gawas, 87 Gabriel Fernandes]
20-May-2012: Uttar Pradesh 0-6 Manipur
[32,53,65,68 L. Chaothoiba Singh, 78 Kh. Thoi Singh, 90+2 Kh. Naoton Singh]