Babatunde scripts Rangdajied win

Nigerian striker scores hat-trick

Babatunde’s sensational second half hat-trick propelled Rangdajied United FC to a crucial come-from-behind 3-1 victory over Langsning FC in their I-League Second Division match at the Bangalore Football Stadium on Monday.

Rangdajied’s well-deserved win, courtesy Babatunde (48th, 64th, 74th) strikes, has pushed them to second in the pecking order along with Bhawanipore FC as both sides now have 13 points from eight matches.

With the slugfest for the top two slots hotting up, Sporting (17 from eight), Bhawanipore and Rangdajied are the three clubs in the mix and most likely to fulfill their top-flight aspirations with two matches to go for all teams.

In the all-Shillong face-off, Langsning stunned their more fancied rivals when captain Daniel Bidemi Ayeni’s forceful eighth minute header off a long cross from Lastborn Surong from the left disturbed the net.

Daniel’s opening goal brought more hurt for Rangdajied as their custodian Shambhu Mistry suffered a cut in the upper lip and left the field after colliding with the Langsning striker while running up to parry the ball. Substitute goalkeeper Surjay K Pariyar manned the Rangdajied goal thereafter as Mistry was taken to St Philomena’s hospital for treatment.

Rangdajied, who have been giant-killers in the competition beating Mumbai Tigers twice, responded in emphatic fashion through Nigerian striker Babatunde in the second half.  The forward’s first goal in the 48th minute was a calmly executed tap-in off a well-laid out cross from the right off fellow Nigerian Jeribe Kelechi.

The Nigerian synchrony was not music to Langsning’s ears after the goal as the duo gave the latter’s defence some tense moments.

In the 64th minute, Babatunde manufactured the goal of the match all on his own with an unstoppable sprint down the left wing leaving defenders mere spectators as he slotted the ball past Langsning custodian Laishram Prem Kumar Singh’s left.

Energised by the second goal, Rangdajied went full throttle and Babatunde along with Korean striker Shin Hujon and Kelechi were the chief engineers of the raids conducted.

The approach worked and yielded a match-sealing third goal. Babatunde stepped up and dug in a scything header off a nicely placed cross from Thomas Saikhom from the right. The rampaging Babatunde almost made it 4-1 in the 80th minute with a lob from about 40 yards but the ball flew few inches wide off the far post. Tuesday is a rest day.

Wednesday’s matches: Mumbai Tigers vs Langsning FC (1.30 pm); Rangdajied United FC vs Southern Samity (4 pm).