JOIN USEast Bengal rode on a second-half strike from Edeh Chidi to pip Salgaocar 1-0 and go four points clear of Dempo at the top of the table after their round eight I-League fixture here on Tuesday.
Chidi struck in the 66th minute, his shot taking the deflection of Salgaocar’s Rocus Lamare before finding the back of the net.
Unbeaten from eight matches, East Bengal now have 20 points, while Salgaocar remained at the bottom half with 10.
Air India held
Nigerian striker Nuruddin Salau scored two goals as an enterprising United Sikkim FC took the lead twice before Air India scrambled to force a 3-3 draw in a match where fortunes turned either way at the Balewadi Sports Complex Stadium, Pune.
Air India was lucky to get its two goals through spot kicks—otherwise Bhaichung Bhutia’s team would have ran away with three full points from this encounter.
Elijah Junior took both the penalty shots and made no mistakes in scoring through the grounders past Sikkim goalkeeper Monotosh Ghosh, while Gagandeep Singh scored the other for the home team.
Elijah Junior fired Air India in front in the 44th minute. But Salau scored the equaliser going into the break. Salau slammed in the goal for a 2-1 lead in the 73rd. Gagandeep chanced on a foolish defensive lapse to put the score back even (2-2) in the 89th minute.
Anwar made 3-2 in the final minute of the match. But in the added time of one minute, Sikkim strikers committed a foul and Junior made no mistake.
Pune FC win
In another match, Pune FC beat Sporting Clube de Goa 2-1. Obiora Andrue put the Goans ahead in the 21st minute. Subhash Singh equalised in the 42nd and James Moga netted Pune FC’s winner in the 66th.