Mahindras mid-fielder Mohammad Shakeel's through pass found striker Manjit Singh in the box and the former East Bengal striker send in a cross from the goalline. UBI's defence looked bewildered and did not do a good job of marking Mahindras' forwards. Off a melee the ball crossed the goalline.

A minute later Manjit had a chance to increase the lead but he failed to control his shot as it his the side netting.

After sterile first-half on a bouncy ground, Mahindras took control in the second-half. The first opening came in the 69th minute when defender Lakshman Bisht's aerial ball saw Shakeel winning the ball from UBI defenders. Shakeel was unlucky as he managed to put the ball past advancing goalkeeper Nadeem Ansari, but defender Vijay Thapa came up with a goalline save.

Then it was UBI who mounted pressure onthe Mahindras. Goalkeeper Salim Ansari was the savior for them. UBI's junior international striker Ryan D'Souza won a challenge from Khalid Siddique's and crossed the ball, but Viju Kunder failed to connect it. A minute later, Francis Pereira's flag-kick saw Dheerender Singh's header going over the bar.

The UBI defence -- Anil Tomar, Vijay Thapa and Ronald Pereira -- kept the Mahindras strikers out of harm's reach. The mid-field was controlled by Marshall D'Silva, Dheerender Singh and Francis Pereira.

Mahindras coach, Syed Hakim, informed that many of his players were down with injuries. ``I did not the full bench strength. I have to play striker Shamsi Raza just ahead of the defence.''