GUWAHATI, May 21 � Defending champions Bengal suffered a 1-2 defeat against Tamil Nadu in the final group A quarterfinal league match of the Santosh Trophy here today.
However, despite the defeat, Bengal entered the semifinals from this group with four points along with Manipur.
It was a match of academic interest only as Bengal were already in the last-four stage while Tamil Nadu were eliminated with two consecutive defeats.
Bengal, without their star striker Branco Vincent in the opening line-up, played a low key game and hardly could impress during the whole course.
But the Tamil Nadu boys were in an aggressive mood from the word go with an all out attack mindset. S Fredy put Tamil Nadu ahead in the 35th minute with a sharp header. Fredy anticipated a measured high ball sent by P Sudakar from the left flank. Till the break, the team from the south maintained the lead.
Defender A Reagan increased the margin in the 71st minute when the Bengal defenders failed to clear the ball properly.
Finally, the champions managed to reduce the margin in the 73rd minute when substitute Snehasish Dutta beat Tamil Nadu custodian S Agastin with a beautiful header off a floater sent by Gurpreet Singh from the right flank.
