From correspondents in Delhi, India, 11:01 PM IST

A late strike by Nigerian Edeh Chidi helped Mahindra United come from behind to beat JCT 2-1 and move into the title clash of the Durand Cup for the second consecutive season here Thursday.

JCT took the lead in the injury time of the first half with a bicycle kick from Balwant Singh. Despite being down, the Mumbai outfit didn't panick and came back into the game cleverly with substitute Paresh Shivalkar firing in the equalizer in the 73rd minute and the winner coming from Chidi in the last minute of the match at the floodlit Ambedkar Stadium.

Both teams played safe in the early part of the first half and the only clear chance came in favour of Mahindra as Chidi's left footer missed the far post by inches.

As the first half looked like moving towards a goalless session, JCT stepped up the attack and its Brazilian striker Eduardo Da Silva's swerving free-kick was parried way by an athletic Mahindra goalkeeper Subhahish Roy Chowdhury.

It was Balwant Singh, who shocked the Mahindra defence, with his scintillating bicycle kick in the 45th minute to give JCT the lead.

After the change of sides, Mahindra looked a completely different team. They showed more urgency to come back into the game.

Chidi, who looked lethargic in the first half, tore apart the JCT defence after the breather. The prolific Nigerian scorer nearly got the equaliser on a couple of occasions but hardly had support from a nervous looking Sushil Singh.

Mahindra coach Derek Pereira gave Sushil a chance to start after a long time and it seemed nerves was getting the better of him upfront.

However, Pereira had some trick up his sleeves, and sensing that time was running out, he replaced Sushil with an experienced Paresh Shivalkar in the 72nd minute. The move turned out to be the masterstroke as Shivalkar stabbed the equaliser in the very next minute from close range off a flag-kick.

The goal boosted the Mumbai outfit and Chidi and Mohammed Rafi, who was pushed up, kept making regular inroads into the JCT defence.

Chidi with his deft touches showed that he is still one of the best foreign strikers in the country and had been on his side Mahindra could have won by a bigger margin.

The Nigerian's persistence, however, paid off in the last minute of the game when he shot from 35 yards and his scorching right-footer rattled the net after kissing the far post.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)