Bengal climbed to the lead spot in their group with a magnificent 7-1 win over a helpless Mizoram in the quarter-final league of the 64th National Football Championship, for the Santosh Trophy, at the floodlit Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Monday.
Shankar Oraon (8th and 55th minute) and Gouranga Dutta (28th and 38th minutes) struck twice each, while Tariff Ahmed (44th), Jayanta Sen (83rd) and substitute Nilender Dewan (90th) contributed a goal each for the winners.
The North East side scored their goal through F Lalmuanpuia in the 67th minute as they suffered their second consecutive loss in Group B.
In the first Group B league match of the day, Tamil Nadu scored through M Ramesh in the dying minutes to hold Delhi 1-1.
Following a goalless first-half, Delhi went ahead in the 81st minute with substitute David Ngaihte scoring the goal.
But Delhi got complacent and their fragile defence failed to hold on, allowing Tamil Nadu to equalize seven minutes from the end and deny them full points.
Delhi had met with similar fate in their first Group B league match against hosts Bengal, who struck late in the second half to deny them three points.
Bengal replaced Tamil Nadu at the top on goal difference as both teams have four points each.
Delhi slipped to third place, while Mizoram, yet to open their account, are out of contention.