Omagbemi strikes in Salgaocar win

Dudu Omagbemi scored on his debut to guide Salgaocar to a solitary goal win over Mohun Bagan in their return match of the I-League at the Tilak Stadium here on Sunday. 

Salgaocar, who have lost four matches and drew one, were looking for a win. They scored the winner through Omagbemi in the 59th minute, which took them to fifth place with 21 points from 15 matches.

Bagan had their chances to find the equaliser but failed, remaining at the seventh place with 18 points from 16 matches. Play was stopped for the last five minutes as there was a power failure that saw the floodlights going off.

In the first half, neither team could score.

Salgaocar who were looking to avenge their away match defeat, held ball possession with swift short passes. Bagan, without their star striker Odafe Okali, failed to breach the strong rival defence manned by Chika Wali. They found their rhythm in the closing stage of the first half and nearly found the breakthrough, but Karanjit Singh parried the shot.

 Dudu who made his debut for Salgaocar was marked closely and could not do much in the first half.  He found space in the second half after Bagan defenders left a gap while going up for attack and Gilbert Oliveria relayed the ball to him. He placed the ball into the net past keeper Shilton Paul in the 59th minute. 

In another match, Pune FC had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Sporting Clube de Goa in Pune. Sporting (28) and Pune FC remain second and third in the points table.