JOIN USBFC, Royals in thrilling draw
Bengaluru FC and Royal Wahingdoh played out a 3-3 draw in an exciting I-League game at the Sree Kanteerava stadium here on Friday.
The result meant the league table remained unchanged as both Bengaluru and Wahingdoh retain their second and the third spot respectively with 21 points from 12 games. Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan extended their lead at the top of the table beating Salgaocar 3-1. Bagan have 24 points from 10 games.
The tie between BFC and Wahingdoh was expected to be a closely fought one. The match lived up to the expectations as both teams kicked-off the proceedings in an attacking mode. The visitors were the first to have a shy at the goal in the 13th minute. Naoba Singh’s delightful ball form the right found an empty Jackichand Singh in the opposition penalty area. But to their dismay, the Wahingdoh top-scorer failed to connect well with his head as Bengaluru’s Curtis Osano cleared the danger with ease.
However, the wait for the opening goal didn’t last long as four minutes later Wahingdoh went ahead from the penalty spot. The visitors surged into the Bengaluru half with Jackichand finding his strike partner Bekay Bawar on the edge of the penalty area. The Nigerian unleashed a controlled shot, which brushed off Joshua Walker’s arms inside the penalty area as the referee blew for a spot kick. Kim Song Yong, who stepped up to do the honours, made no mistake as he calmly deposited the ball into the bottom right corner of the net to put his side up.
Down by a goal, BFC searched for the equaliser with determination and vigour. The Ashley Westwood-coached side came close twice, first in the 26th minute through Sunil Chhetri and then in the 30th minute when a Sean Rooney attempt was thwarted by Wahingdoh’s custodian Prem Kumar, before eventually finding the back of the net in the 39th minute.
The champions worked out a corner routine to perfection as skipper Chhetri flicked on a Eugenson Lyngdoh kick to Robin Singh who powered it past the keeper to draw parity. The score didn’t stay unaltered for long as the visitors were again in the lead, this time, through a Godwin Franco stunner in the 44th minute. Walker once again was at fault as his miscued clearance fell perfectly for Franco, standing about 30 yards from goal. The second half too had goals to cheer about and the home side had the major share.
Goals in the 58th and 70th minutes from Shankar Sampangiraj and Walker, from the penalty spot after Rooney was brought down inside the penalty area, respectively raised hopes of a Bengaluru win. But, to the shock of the BFC faithfuls, a wicked deflection of Lalchhuanmwia in the 74th minute saw a Reagan Singh shot ending up in the back of the net just before the referee blew the final whistle, earning a draw for the visitorys.
Bagan score
Sony Norde and Katsumi Yusa struck one each in Mohun Bagan’s win over Salgaocar at the Vidyasagar Krirangan in Barasat, West Bengal.
The second-half saw all the four goals as Denson Devadas gave Mohun Bagan the lead (51st) but within a minute the Goans brought the game on an even keel after Augustin Fernandes smashed in from close range from a free-kick.
The city heavyweights, however, grabbed the lead in the 70th minute when Katsumi Yusa from a Norde corner as the Japanese snatched a loose ball from the rebound off Salgaocar goalkeeper Subrata Paul. Norde then gave Mohun Bagan a commanding lead in the 85th minute when the Haitian recruit cut in from the left leaving two defenders for dead and fired in from just outside the box.
Bagan thus avenged their Federation Cup defeat when they suffered a 1-4 drubbing.. Bagan’s win was, however, soured when five minutes into added time, Bikramjit Singh was sent off for a second yellow card.
Shillong drub Mumbai
Shillong Lajong beat Mumbai FC 6-0 on Friday Mumbai. Cornell Glen (21st, 51st) scored a brace while Penn Orji (24th), Zodingliana (47th), Uilliams Souza (91st) and Milan Singh (93rd) completed the rout.