Mahindra bow out of AFC Cup

A valiant Mahindra United endured heart-break after conceding a late penalty against Al Nejmeh and bowed out of the AFC Cup on Tuesday.

The Mumbai side was seconds away of a semi-final berth when Serbian defender Milan Bugonovic converted from the spot deep into stoppage time as 10-man Al Nejmeh drew 3-3 to advance to the last four of the competition for the third year in a row on a 5-4 aggregate.

The Lebanese team will now face Jordan's Shabab Al Ordun, who defeated Singapore Armed Forces FC 5-3 over the two legs.

It was almost a miraculous comeback from Derrick Pereira's team, which went into the match with a 1-2 deficit after the home leg at Delhi's Ambedkar Stadium.

It seemed all over bar the shouting when the home side took a 2-0 lead in the first half at Beirut Sports City Stadium through strikes from Mohammad Ghaddar, who had scored a brace in the first leg, in the 12th minute and Croatian forward Ante Milas (23rd) for a 4-1 aggregate lead last night.

But Mahindra pulled a goal back through Congolese striker Edson Minga Dico (33rd minute) before the break and Harpreet Singh (64th) and the Andrews Pomeyie (78th) found the net in the second half to level the score at 4-4, a result which would have seen Mahindra progress on the away goals rule.

It seemed bleak for the home side, who also had Ghaddar sent off four minutes from time.

Al Nejmeh, who had only 1,000 spectators in the stands due to security reasons, applied the early pressure and extended their advantage when Ghaddar scored his fifth goal of the competition, heading home a cross from the right flank.

They should have extended their advantage two minutes later when Ghaddar was denied in a one-on-one situation with Mahindra goalkeeper Sandip Nandy.

However, Al Nejmeh got their second of the night as Ali Wasef Mohammed made his way down the left flank before

crossing for Milas, who beat two Mahindra players before chipping the ball past Nandy.

But the Mumbai outfit refused to concede defeat and pulled a goal back when a long ball from the back found Minga who bore down on the Al Nejmeh goal before firing the ball past goalkeeper Abdou Tafeh.

Al Nejmeh went close to restoring their three-goal cushion in the 51st minute when Khaled Hamiehs cross from the left was met by an unmarked Ghaddar who headed wide.

But the Indian side stunned their hosts when a free kick from the left by Steven Dias was met by Harpreet Singh, who scored from close range.

Mahindra took the lead through Ghanaian striker Andrews Pomeyie, who was left unmarked at the edge of the area and advanced into the box before putting a powerful shot past the rival custodian.

Nejmeh's troubles increased when they were reduced to 10 men after Ghaddar was shown the red card for unsporting behaviour.

However, the Lebanese side nearly got the decisive goal in the 90th minute as Bugonovics free kick from 30 metres came back off the post.

But the Serbian defender had the last laugh when his team was awarded a spot kick after Nandy brought down substitute Zakaria Charara and Bugonovic successfully converted to send his side through, leaving the team from Mumbai in anguish.