HAL shock Mohun Bagan

Lowly-placed Hindustan Aeronautics Limited humiliated former champions Mohun Bagan with a well-merited 3-1 victory in their fourth round National Football League match in Bangalore on Thursday.

HAL led 2-1 at half-time.

Their Kyrgistan import Raja Balieve Nurlan was their match-winner, scoring twice after Rajendra Prasad put them ahead.

For Bagan, Brazilian striker Jose Barreto reduced the margin.

It was the newly-promoted HAL's second win. Earlier they had beaten Salgaocar.

The reverse was Bagan's first after two victories and a draw.

In an action-packed encounter, HAL shot into the lead in the 18th minute thanks to a splendid header by Rajendra Prasad, off a beautiful pass from skipper Sunil.

Nurlan made it 2-0 in the 29th minute, neatly netting the ball which popped out of the hands of Bagan 'keeper Rajat Ghosh Dastidar, who could not collect cleanly, after a corner kick by Gregory Clarke.

Stung by the reverses, the former champions who finished runners-up last year, pulled one back through their Brazilian star, who found the net in the 35th minute.

After the break, Bagan went all out and made repeated forays into the HAL citadel but without success. HAL goalkeeper Gumpe Rime did a fine job under the bar as HAL held on.

With seconds to go for the final whistle, Nurlan scored his second goal, giving HAL a well-deserved win.

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