Mariners thrash Mohammedan 5-1

Defending champions Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club inflicted a 5-1 thrashing to powerhouse Mohammedan SC in their final group match in the Club Cup Hockey tournament at the Maulana Hockey Stadium on Tuesday. 

Successive wins helped Mariner Youngs Club emerge as Group A champions and set a semifinal clash against losers of Group B's final league match between Abahani and Usha KC scheduled later in the evening. 

Both Mariner Youngs and Mohammedan had already confirmed their semifinal berths and the tie between the two was a group-deciding affair in which both sides fielded three foreign players each.

Mohammedan flew in three players from New Zealand, Australia and Netherlands respectively but the trio were outclassed by Mariner's Indian recruits, who made the difference in the high-voltage match.

Though Mohammedan's Stijin R Jan Mennes came close to giving his side an early lead, it was Mariner Youngs who took a deserved lead in the eighth minute, courtesy of a strike from Prodeep Mor before Charl Ulrch equalised for Mohammedan having converted from the third penalty corner in the ninth minute after wasting the first two.

Mariner Youngs hammered home again to restore the lead in the next minute through Mainul Islam Koushik and Milon Hossain extended the advantage with a superb reverse-hit in the 31st minute after being set up by Deepak from the right side.

Sohanur Rahman Sabuj then made it 4-1 by converting the first penalty to take the match away from Mohammedan, who conceded the fifth goal in the 50th minute when Koushik brilliantly glided home from a fierce hit from Sabuj.