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Muritala Ali restores parity for Mahindra United

Striker Muritala Ali puts Mahindra United on level terms with East Bengal in the I-League match at the Cooperage in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The Nigerian headed the ball to the far corner of the net, past East Bengal 'keeper Abhra Mondal, following a floater from Steven Dias in the 33rd minute.

Mahindra went on to win the match 3-2 and register their first victory in two matches.

Muritala Ali scores his second goal

Having restored parity after Alvito D'Cunha had put East Bengal ahead in the 29th minute, Mahindra continued to apply pressure and went ahead in the 42nd minute when Muritala Ali headed home a cross from Mohd Rafi.

Bhutia thwarted

East Bengal striker Baichung Bhutia was allowed little room to manoeuver. Mahindra defender Lamine Tamba (in picture) did a brilliant job of keeping the ace goal-poacher in check.

Yakubu superb

East Bengal's Yusif Yakubu (white jersey) came in only in the second half, but for the 45-odd minutes he was on the field gave the Mahindra defence a torrid time with his defence splitting runs.

Yakubu celebrates

Yakubu scored from the first clear chance he got, in the 62nd minute, to make it 2-2 for East Bengal.

He did well to receive a pass from Sanju Pradhan and score with a deft shot past Mahindra goalkeeper Subhasish Choudhury.