Former champions Maharashtra stunned formidable West Bengal 2-0 in a Group III quarter-final league match and stormed into the semi-finals with an all-win record, in the Air India Express Santosh Trophy National Football Championship in Kochi on Tuesday.
Bengal, who have won the trophy 29 times, have a match against Services in hand, which will now be only of academic interest.
Maharashtra, who had defeated Services 5-3 earlier, enjoyed the upper hand and forged ahead through substitute Reuben D'Souza in the 58th minute and Paresh Shivalkar sealed the fate of the match in their favour with a goal in the 65th.
Earlier in a group IV encounter, Goa crushed Assam 6-0.
Striker Anthony Pereira, who scored four goals, including a hat-trick played a stellar role for his side. Climax Lawrence, through a penalty goal, and Clifford Miranda completed the goal tally.
In another Group I match, played at FACT, Udyogamandal, Uttar Pradesh, despite losing their opening match against Kerala, boosted their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals, when they eked out a 2-0 win over Delhi.
In a three-team league, UP have three points from a win and a loss, while the other team, Kerala, have three points and a match against Delhi in hand.
If Delhi succeeds in surprising the hosts, which will be a Herculean task, UP will enter the last four on better goal difference.
It is now a must-win situation for Kerala against Delhi.
In the Maharashtra-Bengal match, the latter's attempt to find an early breakthrough went in vain as Maharashtra tightened the screws in the rear. The wing-backs effectively patrolled the goalmouth never allowing the rival marksman Biswas to dribble in.
Bengal maintained the steady flow of forays into the rival goalmouth and looked more dangerous with their lethal attack midway through the session.
Maharashtra owed its success to its goalkeeper Israt Kamal, who excelled under the bar showing good anticipation and alertness. But for his brilliant effort the story of the match would have been different.
