MUMBAI, June 18: Defending champions Air-India profited from three goalkeeping blunders by Maharashtra State Police's (MSP) K Ansari and a good advantage applied by referee Walter Pereira to score a 4-0 win in the WIFA Super Division football league at the Cooperage, today.

Two goals by Nitin Shetty, transferred from Sesa Goa this season, built a 2-0 lead at the interval.

International Jeevan Moraes scored the third from a direct free-kick -- punishing a red-card offence and another blunder by Ansari before Abbas Ali Rizvi slotted home the fourth seven minutes from time.

The promoted cops, expected to provide formidable opposition on a pitch rendered soggy on a wet day, flagged in resolve after Ansari's errors. With their attack almost non-existent, there was little to stop a seasoned Air-India notching their second successive win in the league after a 2-0 opening success against Rashtriya Chemical and Fertilisers.

With Godfrey Pereira on the bench, Air-India showed little signs of restraint. The other live-wire in attack, Anthony Fernandes moved menacingly before the match was ten minutes old. A cross from the left saw Radhakrishna Dubey head over but the pressure exerted by Air-India was bound to tell sooner or later.

It did in the 25th minute after Rizvi used the long ball. Fernandes latched on and unleashed a shot within the area that had an off-balance Ansari groping. Shetty, lurking nearby, was left with the simple task of tapping home.

The same combination conjured the second goal after 38 minutes, leaving Ansari ruing a blunder again. Fernandes crossed from the left and Shetty's left foot produced a grounder that entered the goal through a diving Ansari's hands.

Rizvi's tame and wayward header in front of an open goal after Shetty cossed from the right deprived Air-India a third goal in the dying moments of the half.

Soon after resumption, Shetty shot straight into the 'keeper as Air-India looked set to win at half-pace.

A third goal looked imminent as MSP looked out of depth in the city's premier league and compounded their misery by collecting a red card.

Two yellow cards by Mohammad Sadikf or fouls on Rizvi, within seconds of each other, brought on the sending off. Moraes rubbed it on 60 minutes by dispatching home the free kick 25 yards away, with a little help by the fumbling Ansari who let it slip in.

Anthony failed to reward Shetty who sped down the right flank and crossing. The attacking mainstay, slightly out of position, deflected the ball wide of the far post with a dumbfounded Ansari at his mercy and teammate Khentang Paite running alongside.

In a switch, MSP tested Air-India's third-choice keeper Shyam Sawant with his side's first shot on target in the match.

As both sides tired on a trying pitch, Khogen Singh provided the airmen the zip to round off a thumping win a quick pass to Subir Sinha whose cross took the hand of substitute Namdeo Purvi. Referee Pereira, however, refrained from whistling. It enabled Rizvi pick his target before placing home, eliminating the prospect of a penalty.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.