HERO I-LEAGUE- INDIA

   

WAHINGDOH HOLD BENGALURU IN SIX-GOAL THRILLER

BANGALORE: Bengaluru FC (BFC) and Royal Wahingdoh (RWFC), the second and third position team from the Hero I-league played a fast-paced entertaining game that ended in a 3-3 result at the Kanteerava Stadium on Friday evening.

Attacking from left to right, BFC showed intention and forced three corners within first 5 minute of the match. Meanwhile Robin was given the best of the crosses which he failed to capitalize.

For the visitors, Naoba Singh’s dipping cross in the 6th minute took BFC keeper Ralte by surprise, which was followed by another long ranger a few minutes later.

The match came alive in the 15th minute via a penalty for visitors. Bekay Bawar’s powerful shot hit Joshua Walker’s hand inside the box. Referee Pratap Singh awarded the penalty, which Korean Kim Song Yong calmly placed on the right side, out of keeper’s reach.

Despite making several goalmouth attempts, BFC failed to create goal chances.

In the 39th minute, Robin scored the equalizer from a goal-bound melee after a corner. It was an outcome of a nice buildup from Captain Sunil Chhetri which went for a corner.

Midfielder Godwin Franco who is having a fantastic run in the Hero I-League gave the visitors the lead again in the 42nd minute from an accurate shot taken outside the box.

Most of RWFC attacks formed from the right wing, with the combination of Densill Theobald, Kim, and Naoba. The end of the first-half witnessed a brilliant solo from the diminutive Jackichand Singh, which the BFC keeper managed to keep away.

At the start of second half, Kim Song failed to convert from an excellent ball fed by skipper Densill. A timely replacement of Shankar for Thoi Singh gave BFC their equalizer for the second time. It was Mr. Consistent Eugene again whose deft free kick via Shankar’s header found the ball back of Royal’s net.

BFC took the lead in 72nd minute. Rooney was brought down by the Royal keeper Prem Kumar, and Joshua Walker made no mistake in converting from the penalty to give his team the 3-2 lead.

However, the lead only lasted for few minutes, as Reagan Singh’s shot from the right side of the box took a heavy deflection and looped out of the reach of keeper. That was the third goal of the night for RWFC.

MOHUN BAGAN CEMENT TOP SPOT AFTER WIN

KOLKATA: McDowell’s Mohun Bagan continued their unbeaten streak in the Hero I-League as they got past Salgaocar FC with a 3-1 scoreline at a packed Barasat Stadium on Friday afternoon.

Sony Norde, Katsumi Yusa, and Denson Devadas scored for MMB, while Augustin Fernandes remained the sole goalscorer for Salgaocar.

Sanjoy Sen was forced to bring in Jeje Lalpekhlua to the squad with Balwant Singh missing out due to an injury, and Dhanachandra Singh came back in replacing Sukhen Dey.

Derrick Pereira meanwhile started with Daryl Duffy on the bench with Douhou Pierre deployed behind Jason Vales who started furthest forward. Augustin Fernandes partnered Francis Kasonde in central defense.

It took about twenty three minutes for the first real chance of the match. Katsumi Yusa sent in a searching corner from the right towards the far post which Denson Devadas headed towards goal. It was only a diving Subrata Paul who kept his team from conceding.

In a match devoid of any goalmouth action it was Salgaocar who had a chance of their own in the 42nd minute after Darryl Duffy was thrown into the match. Duffy brushed aside Bello Rasaq’s challenge and held the ball before expertly playing it towards Gilbert Oliviera who was in acres of space down the right. The winger’s shot though was parried out by Debjit Majumder in goal with Zakeer Mundampara’s snapshot going horribly wide.

The match got off to a thundering start with the home side finding the net in the 51st minute. After Jeje was fouled down the left, Sony Norde sent in a teasing delivery into the box which Denson Devadas toe poked into the net.

Salgaocar replied back almost immediately as Augustin Fernandes equalized after just two minutes, from close range after Douhou Pierre’s ball had caught the entire Mariners’ defense sleeping. This was just after Daryl Duffy had tested with a shot from just outside the box, which the Mohun Bagan custodian managed to parry out.

It was following another set piece that Mohun Bagan got back into the lead in the 70th minute. Sony Norde’s corner from the right was not cleared by the Greens’ defense allowing Bikramjit Singh to take a pop from outside the box. It was Boya who picked up the rebound among the legs in the box and shot only to be parried out by Subrata Paul. However Katsumi was clear down the left and he caressed the ball into the open net.

It was a masterclass from the Haitian in the 85th minute to put the match beyond any doubt. After receiving a pass from his own half down the left, Sony decided to take on both central defenders and left them for dead as he cut inside. However his final shot was out of the world as he gave Subrata Paul no chance, with a cracking effort from outside the box.

It could have got even better for the Mariners as Sony Norde took a great freekick from the left as regulation time was over. Katsumi who was clear on the far post failed to head the ball onto the target.

The Mariners’ win was however soured when five minutes into added time, Bikramjit Singh was sent off for a second yellow card. Daryl Duffy stepped up to take the freekick just on the edge of the box but only struck the wall.

Mohun Bagan thus manage to cement their place on the top of the table even if either of Royal Wahingdoh or Bengaluru FC are victorious in the other game today.